Short StoriesNo. 3278 · The 2026 edition
Halloween
Delve into the eerie verses of a classic poem that captures the spine-chilling essence of All Hallows' Eve.
Our own summary of the original — the full post and photos live at en.wikipedia.org.
This poem evokes the haunting atmosphere of Halloween night, with spectral imagery and a rhythmic cadence that celebrates the spookiest holiday of the year.
About this
Wikipedia article about Robert Burns's 1785 poem 'Halloween'. It covers the poem's publication in the 1786 Kilmarnock volume, its Scots-English language, and its background in earlier Halloween verse by John Mayne. The page also summarizes the poem's analysis and reception, with references and a link to the full text on Wikisource.
Facts from the original
- Robert Burns wrote 'Halloween' in 1785.
- The poem was first published in 1786.
- It is included in the Kilmarnock volume.
- It is one of Burns's longer poems.
- It employs a mixture of Scots and English.
- John Mayne of Dumfries, South West Scotland, attempted a poem on Halloween in 1780.
- Mayne was a comparatively obscure follower of the Scottish Muses.
- Mayne's poem has twelve stanzas.
- Mayne's poem mentions Halloween pranks, with the line 'What fearfu' pranks ensue!'.
- Mayne's poem references the supernatural 'Bogies' (ghosts).
- Mayne's poem appeared in Ruddimans Weekly Magazine, November 1780.
- Ruddimans Weekly Magazine was published by Walter Ruddiman in Edinburgh.
- Burns apparently saw and was influenced by Mayne's composition.
- Burns communicates with Mayne's work and echoes 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'.
- A poem recited by Scots at Halloween.
- Burns's poetry revolves around country and town life, the life he knew.
- By using Scots alongside English, and by the sheer power of his expression in both, Burns gives an account of the charms of the West of Scotland.
- The page is an old revision edited by Bobnorwal at 15:37, 4 April 2011, removing poem text and adding a link to Wikisource.
- The article is categorized as 1785 poems, Poetry by Robert Burns, and Narrative poems.
- English Wikisource has the original text of the poem.
From the original
The page is a short encyclopedia article on Robert Burns's poem Halloween. Burns wrote the poem in 1785, and it was first published in 1786 in the Kilmarnock volume. It is one of his longer poems and mixes Scots and English. The background section explains that John Mayne, a comparatively obscure Dumfries poet, had written a Halloween poem in 1780. Mayne's twelve-stanza poem appeared in Ruddimans Weekly Magazine in November 1780, published by Walter Ruddiman in Edinburgh, and mentioned Halloween pranks and supernatural 'Bogies.' Burns likely saw Mayne's work and echoed some of its imagery. Burns described Halloween as a night when witches, devils, and other mischief-making beings roam abroad. The analysis section says the poem was recited by Scots at Halloween, and that Burns's poetry draws on the country and town life he knew; his use of Scots and English and his expressive power give an account of the charms of the West of Scotland. The article lists references and points to the original text on English Wikisource.
