On Fergusson B
written in 1787
On Fergusson B - context Summary
Tribute to Fergusson
Written in 1787 as a direct tribute, this short poem mourns the wasted talents and premature death of Robert Fergusson. Burns addresses Fergusson as an "Heaven-taught" genius whose promising life ended in poverty and neglect. The poem registers grief and moral outrage, contrasting the poet's deserving worth with the comfortable status of the titled and powerful. It functions as elegy and social critique, both praising Fergusson's gifts and condemning a society that lets true talent "pine" while rewarding vanity and rank.
Read Complete AnalysesIll-fated Genius! Heaven-taught Fergusson, What heart that feels and will not yield a tear, To think Life's sun did set e'er well begun To shed its influence on thy bright career. O why should truest Worth and Genius pine Beneath the iron grasp of Want and Woe, While titled knaves and idiot-greatness shine In all the splendour Fortune can bestow?
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