Which Scottish Romantic poet wrote the song 'Auld Lang Syne'?

Robert Burns wrote the Scottish song “Auld Lang Syne.” The title means “old long since,” or more naturally, “for old times’ sake,” and the song is traditionally sung while remembering friendships and shared experiences.

Burns wrote the poem in 1788 after encountering older Scottish material, including folk verses and an earlier printed song. He sent his version to the Scots Musical Museum, describing it as an old song that he had taken down from an elderly singer. This means Burns shaped and preserved traditional material rather than inventing every line from nothing.

The familiar melody was paired with the words later and became widely established in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. “Auld Lang Syne” is especially associated with Hogmanay and New Year’s Eve, but it is also used at graduations, funerals, farewells, and closing ceremonies. A common mix-up is crediting Burns with composing the tune itself; his primary authorship concerns the celebrated Scots text.