Poems that use voice
Poem that uses the âAddressâ form talking to a âcharacterâ who cannot understand or does not exist
- To a Mouse - the speaker addresses the mouse whose nest he has accidentally destroyed. His tone is reassuring, though he recognises that he has jeopardised the mouseâs survival during the winter
Poems which create a narrative voice or persona
- Holy Willieâs Prayer - the dramatic monologue is spoken by the hypocrite Willie who reveals his spitefulness and prejudice through his own voice. By describing his own bad deeds, making excuses for them and telling God to curse his enemies, he shows how insincere his âChristianâ viewpoint really is
- To a Mouse - the persona is a ploughman who has just destroyed the mouseâs nest and is genuinely sorry. He is very close to the personality of Burns himself
- Tam OâShanter - the persona tells the story of Tam and the witches. Burns occasionally steps into the story himself to provide a moral, but these moral moments do not seem as sincere as his wholehearted enjoyment of the excitement of the narrative