O Can Ye Labour Lea
written in 1792
O, can ye labour lea, young man, O, can ye labour lea? Gae back the gate ye came again Ye's never scorn me! I fee'd a man at Martinmas Wi' airle-pennies three; But a' the faut I had to him He couldna labour lea. O, clappin's guid in Febarwar, An' kissin's sweet in May; But what signifies a young man's love, An't dinna last for ay? O, kissin is the key o' love An' clappin is the lock; An' makin of's the best thing That e'er a young thing got! O, can ye labour lea, young man, O, can ye labour lea? Gae back the gate ye came again Ye's never scorn me!
O Can Ye Labour Lea - meaning Summary
Playful Courtship and Conditions
Burns presents a lively, vernacular speaker testing a young suitor’s readiness for courtship and sexual relationship. Using Scots idiom and jaunty repetition, the speaker balances playful erotic imagery (kissing, "clappin") with a practical demand: the man must be able to "labour lea"—to meet her expectations or else leave. Seasonal references (February, May) frame desire and timing, while the poem juxtaposes physical pleasure with a wish for a lasting connection. The tone is teasing, assertive, and rooted in everyday rural life.
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