Verses to Clarinda

by Robert Burns

Fair Empress of the poet’s soul,
And Queen of poetesses;
Clarinda, take this little boon,
This humble pair of glasses:

And fill them up with generous juice,
As generous as your mind;
And pledge them to the generous toast,
“The whole of human kind!”

“To those nwho love us!” second fill;
But not to those whom we love;
Lest we love those who love not us –
A third – “To thee and me, love!”