Esteem for Chloris
written in 1794
Esteem for Chloris - fact Summary
Personal Muse Named Chloris
Written in 1794, this short lyric records Burns's restrained admiration for a woman called Chloris, a name tied to his real-life romantic attachments. The speaker insists he will not profess love openly; though Chloris fills his days and nights, he masks ardor as friendship and "esteem." The poem presents a conscious choice to hide passion rather than pursue or declare it, portraying emotional self-control and polite affection more than overt courtship. It reflects Burns’s personal tendency to entwine lived feeling with concise, direct address.
Read Complete AnalysesAh, Chloris, since it may not be, That thou of love wilt hear; If from the lover thou maun flee, Yet let the friend be dear. Altho' I love my Chloris, mair Than ever tongue could tell; My passion I will ne'er declare I'll say, I wish thee well. Tho' a' my daily care thou art, And a' my nightly dream, I'll hide the struggle in my heart, And say it is esteem.
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