Clarinda

A change of direction for my lunch time walk today. A wee stroll round the Cannongate Kirkyard.

Clarinda was the pseudonym used by Agnes Maclehose when she corresponded with the poet Robert Burns. Burns used the pseudonym Sylvander. Burns and Maclehose had an unconsummated affair during 1787-88.

Burns wrote several poems to Agnes, that were not published until after her death. The most famous of these is "Ae Fond Kiss". The poem was written when Agnes, Nancy to her friends, left Burns for an attempted reconciliation with her husband residing in Jamaica.

Written in a letter to Agnes M'Lehose, or 'Clarinda', (also known as 'Nancy' to her friends) in December 1791, when she left Burns, and Scotland, to follow her husband to Jamaica to try to save her marriage.

Ae fond kiss, and then we sever;
Ae fareweel, alas, for ever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee!
Who shall say that Fortune grieves him
While the star of hope she leaves him?
Me, nae cheerfu' twinkle lights me,
Dark despair around benights me.

I'll ne'er blame my partial fancy;
Naething could resist my Nancy;
But to see her was to love her,
Love but her, and love for ever.
Had we never loved sae kindly,
Had we never loved sae blindly,
Never met-or never parted,
We had ne'er been broken-hearted.

Fare thee weel, thou first and fairest!
Fare thee weel, thou best and dearest!
Thine be ilka joy and treasure,
Peace, enjoyment, love, and pleasure!
Ae fond kiss, and then we sever!
Ae fareweel, alas, for ever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee!

Agnes is buried in the Cannongate Kirkyard in the tomb of her cousin Lord Craig.