To John Kennedy
written in 1786
Farewel, Dear Friend! may Guid luck hit you, And 'mang her favorites admit you! If e'er Detraction shore to smit you, May nane believe him! And ony deil that thinks to get you, Good Lord deceive him!!!
hope
lyric poem
playful
To John Kennedy - meaning Summary
Farewell and Protective Blessing
This short, colloquial poem is a warm farewell from Burns to his friend John Kennedy. Speaking in Scots idiom, the speaker offers good luck and social acceptance, asks that no one believe slanderous tongues, and invokes a comic malison—asking divine mischief on any devilish plotters. Its tone mixes affection, blunt humor, and protective loyalty, turning a personal goodbye into an emphatic wish for the friend’s future safety and reputation.
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