Honest pictures of life among the rural poor keen sympathy for fellow creatures devastating satires of hypocrisy Writing in his native Lowland Scots dialect, Burns is an assured and poised poet. None of his contemporaries is able to rival his use of language or mastery of pitch and timing, whether in English or Scots. His originality is expressed in the poetic satire of the genial dialogue between Caesar and Luath in The Twa Dogs in the perceptive The Holy Fair and in the contempt he conveys for the speaker in Holy Willies Prayer. A superbly funny story-teller in the comic, earthy narrative of Tam oShanter, he is also Scotlands greatest lyric poet in songs that include It was upon a Lammas night (Corn Rigs) and Now westlin winds. This edition, published to commemorate the bicentenary of his death, conveys the range and excellence of Burnss poetic output. A comprehensive paperback edition, with introduction, annotations, extensive glossary of Scots words,