Short StoriesNo. 4827 · The 2026 edition
Halloween
Unearth the eerie verses of a classic Halloween poem that captures the haunting spirit of the holiday.
Our own summary of the original — the full post and photos live at en.wikipedia.org.
A short poem that evokes the spooky atmosphere and traditions of Halloween night, from jack-o'-lanterns to ghostly encounters.
About this
A Wikipedia article about Robert Burns' 1785 poem "Halloween", one of his longer works and a blend of Scots and English. It covers the poem's 1786 first publication in the Kilmarnock volume, its likely debt to John Mayne's earlier 1780 Halloween poem, and brief critical analysis, plus its length of 28 stanzas.
Facts from the original
- "Halloween" is a poem written by the Scottish poet Robert Burns in 1785.
- It was first published in 1786 and is included in the Kilmarnock volume.
- It is one of Burns' longer poems and employs a mixture of Scots and English.
- The poem has 28 stanzas.
- John Mayne from Dumfries, South West Scotland, had attempted a poem on Halloween in 1780.
- Mayne's poem had twelve stanzas and noted pranks ("What fearfu' pranks ensue!") and the supernatural, including "Bogies" (ghosts).
- Mayne's poem appeared in Ruddimans Weekly Magazine, November 1780, published by Walter Ruddiman in Edinburgh.
- Burns appears to have seen and been influenced by Mayne's composition, echoing some of his imagery.
- According to Burns, Halloween is "thought to be a night when witches, devils, and other mischief-making beings are all abroad on their baneful midnight errands".
- The poem is recited by Scots at Halloween.
- Burns' poetry revolves around country and town life; by using Scots alongside English he gives an account of the charms of the West of Scotland.
- Edward Scriven engraved John Masey Wright's illustration to the poem.
From the original
Robert Burns wrote the poem "Halloween" in 1785; it was first published in 1786 as part of the Kilmarnock volume. It is among Burns' longer poems and blends Scots with English. The background section notes that John Mayne of Dumfries, a relatively obscure follower of the Scottish Muses, had written a Halloween poem in 1780 consisting of twelve stanzas that mentioned Halloween pranks ("What fearfu' pranks ensue!") and the supernatural in the form of "Bogies" or ghosts; it appeared in Ruddimans Weekly Magazine in November 1780, published by Walter Ruddiman in Edinburgh. Burns appears to have seen and been influenced by Mayne's work, communicating with it and echoing its imagery. Burns described Halloween as a night when witches, devils, and other mischief-making beings are abroad on their baneful midnight errands. The analysis section calls it a poem recited by Scots at Halloween, revolving around country and town life and giving an account of the charms of the West of Scotland through Burns' use of both Scots and English. The characteristics section notes the poem has 28 stanzas.
