Richard Wilson reads this song written 'out of compliment to Miss Ann Masterton, the daughter of my friend Allan Masterton’, who became writing master at the High School in Edinburgh.

O wert thou in the Cauld Blast

Dec 4th, 2010 59s

Read by Juliet Cadzow and written in honour of Jessie Lewars, a friend of the family, who nursed Burns during his final illness and helped Jean with their many children after his death.

The Fete Champetre

Nov 29th, 2010 2m 46s

When William Cunninghame of Enterkine, Tarbolton came of age, he held a supper and ball, or Fete Champetre, on the banks of the Ayr to which most of the respectable families in the county were invited. Some thought he was using the event as an

Ay Waukin O

Nov 24th, 2010 1m 17s

Lorraine McIntosh reads this hauntingly beautiful song in which a lover laments being parted from their beloved and cannot sleep.

Theniel Menzies Bonie Mary

Nov 20th, 2010 1m 2s

Burns stopped at Stonehaven, near the River Dye, on 10 September 1787 to meet some relatives. The model for this song may have been a popular bawdy song of the time. Read by Phyllida Law.

Pegasus at Wanlockhead

Nov 13th, 2010 55s

Liz Lochhead reads this poem which Burns penned after being unable to persuade a local Farrier to attend to both his and friend Thomas Sloan's horses which were slipping on the ice.