"To A Mouse" is a Scots poem written by Robert Burns in 1785, and was included in the Kilmarnock volume. As the legend goes, Burns wrote the poem after, as the poem suggests, turning up the winter nest of a mouse on his farm. Scots refers to the Anglic varieties spoken in parts of Scotland. ... Poetry (ancient Greek: poieo = create) is an art form in which human language is used for its aesthetic qualities in addition to, or instead of, its notional and semantic content. ... For the chain gang fugitive and author from Georgia, see Robert Elliott Burns. ... 1785 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Inside cover of the Kilmarnock volume The Kilmarnock volume — printed and issued by John Wilson, Kilmarnock, on 31st July 1786, was the first edition of poet Robert Burns work. ...

John Steinbeck took the title of his 1937 novel Of Mice and Men from a line contained in the second last stanza: 'The best laid schemes o' mice an' men / Gang aft agley' (often paraphrased as 'The best-laid plans of mice and men / Go oft awry'). John Ernst Steinbeck (February 27, 1902 – December 20, 1968) was one of the best-known and most widely read American writers of the 20th century. ... Year 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The title is taken from Robert Burnss famous poem, To a Mouse, which is often quoted as: The best-laid plans of mice and men go oft awry (or astray). ...

The poem, and the poetry of Robert Burns in general, is also said to have greatly influenced the work of English Musician Ian Anderson. References to "To A Mouse" can be seen in the song "One Brown Mouse," from the Heavy Horses album, which is a song about the mouse in Burns' Poem. The line from Aqualung, "...don't you start away uneasy..." is also said to have sparked from the Burns' line, "Thou need na start awa sae hasty..." This article is about the lead singer of Jethro Tull. ...

This poem influenced the title for the book Of Mice and Men. The title is taken from Robert Burnss famous poem, To a Mouse, which is often quoted as: The best-laid plans of mice and men go oft awry (or astray). ...

See also

• "To A Louse"

In 1786, Robert Burns authored the Scots poem To A Louse, On Seeing One On A Ladys Bonnet At Church. The theme of To A Louse could be interpreted to be: If one could see oneself as others do, then one would realise ones faults, and be freed...

External links

• McGown, George William Thompson. A Primer of Burns], Paisley : A. Gardner, 1907. Fully annotated version of To a Mouse, with historical background. pp.9-20
• Text of the poem can be found at http://www.bartleby.com/6/76.html

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

To a Mouse