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Gie me ae spark o' yer best rendition
Burns Night just wouldn’t be the same without hearing the address to a haggis, the Selkirk grace and a selection of Burns best! Today we launch our Burns Poetry Competition! We are looking for adults, children, & groups to send us their renditions, whether it be the words of Rabbie himself or simply a poem inspired by Scotland we want to hear it all! We’ll share our favourite entries throughout the month before announcing the winners across our socials.
Submit your entry
To participate, follow the link below to submit your entry.
If you are performing a Burns piece, please send your entry as a video so we can enjoy the full rendition. If you are creating your own poem inspired by Rabbie, you can send it as a video, a written entry or a typed submission.
Terms & Conditions
General
1. By entering the Poetry Competition you are agreeing to these competition terms and conditions.
2. The competition is being run by Browne White Ltd t/a ScotlandShop whose registered office is at Station Road Industrial Estate, Duns, Scotland, TD11 3EJ.
3. ScotlandShop reserves the right to cancel the competition or amend these terms and conditions at any time, without prior notice.
4. The competition and these terms and conditions will be governed by Scottish law and any disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Scotland.
Eligibility to enter
5. The competition is open to entrants of any age in any part of the world (ScotlandShop staff members are excluded from the draw).
6. In entering the competition, you confirm that you are eligible to do so and eligible to claim any prize you may win.
7. A maximum of one entry per individual is permitted.
8. The competition is free to enter and no purchase is necessary.
How to enter
9. The competition will be judged on those entries submitted up to midnight (GMT) on 31st January 2026. Entries after that time and date will not be included in the competition.
10. To enter the competition upload your entry to the following link: https://scotlandshop.typeform.com/Burns-Comp
11. ScotlandShop will not accept responsibility if contact details provided are incomplete or inaccurate.
The prize
12. The prize will be:
Child - Scottish Gift Box worth over £100
Adult - Scottish Gift Box worth over £100
Group - Scottish Gift Box worth over £100
13. ScotlandShop’s use of particular brands as prizes does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement of such brands.
14. The winner will be chosen by ScotlandShop.
15. The prize is non-exchangeable, non-transferable and no cash alternatives will be offered.
16. We reserve the right to substitute prizes with another prize of equal or higher value if circumstances beyond our control make it necessary to do so.
17. The decision of ScotlandShop regarding any aspect of the competition is final and binding and no correspondence will be entered into about it.
Winner announcement
18. The winner will be notified after 1st February 2026 via the email provided during subscription.
19. ScotlandShop will attempt to contact the winner by email up to two times.
20. If the winner does not respond to the emails notifying them of their win within 14 days of the second email, they will lose their right to the prize, and ScotlandShop reserves the right to choose and notify a new winner.
Receipt of the prize
21. Please allow 14 days for delivery of the prize or alternative collection or delivery arrangements may be made through mutual agreement.
Data protection and publicity
22. You consent to any personal information you provide in entering the competition being used by ScotlandShop for the purposes of administering the competition, and for those purposes as defined within our privacy notice.
23. All entrants may apply for details of the winning participant by contacting us at [email protected]
24. The winner agrees to the release of their first name and the country they live in to any other competition participants if requested via ScotlandShop.
25. An announcement of the winners first name and the country they live in will be made via ScotlandShop website and social media platforms.
26. All personal information shall be used in accordance with ScotlandShops Privacy Notice.
Limitation of Liability
27. ScotlandShop does not accept any liability for any damage, loss, injury or disappointment suffered by any entrants as a result of either participating in the competition or being selected for a prize, save that ScotlandShop does not exclude its liability for death or personal injury as a result of its own negligence.
Competition Winners
2026 Winners
Children's category
Sophie from Renfrewshire was our winner in the Children's category in 2026.
Adult's category
Katy from Dumfries and Galloway was our winner in the Adult category in 2026.
Group category
Catherine and William from California were our winners in the Group category in 2026.
2025 Winners
Children’s category
Leon from Scotland was our 2025 Burns Poetry Competition winner, Children's category.
Adult’s category
Mike from the USA was our 2025 Burns Poetry Competition winner, Adult's category.
To the Bonnie Sea Maid
O sea-borne lass, sae fair, sae fleet, Wi’ tresses brown an’ wild waves’ beat, Thy gaze, a pearl nae man could cheat, A jewel o’ the tide. Thy voice, like selkies’ haunting greet, Doth in my soul reside.
Wi’ shimmerin’ scales o’ sun-kissed hue, An’ lips as fresh as mornin’ dew, Thy laugh, it sparkles, sweet an’ true, A siren’s silver strain. Yet wae’s me, lass, tae meet my due, We’re bound by nature’s chain.
On Loch Linnhe’s shore, where waters bide, An’ mountains kiss the restless tide, Ye called tae me frae briny glide, Whaur moonbeams light the sea. But I maun stay, wi’ herd an’ pride, My coos depend on me.
Thy briny court o’ crag an’ kelp, Hath nane tae gi’e a land-bound whelp, For I, puir man, cud scarce mysel’p, Wi’ cold an’ clarty seas! Nae mermaid kiss nor silken scalp Could coax me tae the breeze.
Ach, war I born wi’ fins an’ gills, An’ tae the tide my life fulfills, I’d trade the glens an’ heath’ry hills For ae embrace o’ thee. But cruel fate, my mortal ills, Keeps shore an’ shellfish free.
I’ll ne’er forget thy radiant sicht, Thy hair that danc’d in moonbeam’s licht, Thy smile that turns the starry nicht Intae a glowin’ morn. Yet here I’ll bide, wi’ plaid drawn ticht, For clan an’ coos tae warn.
O lass, my heart is torn in twain, Between the tide an’ landward plain. Tho’ lochs may lure, my path is plain—
The croft maun ken my care. An’ duty binds, tho’ love is pain, This burden I will bear.
Sae fare thee weel, thou briny queen, Thy beauty’s like the rarest green, That blooms whaur mortal ne’er hath been, Upon the coral strand. But I, nae match for waves sae keen, Belang tae guid dry land.
Oh, had we met whaur tide daes part, An’ seas but kiss the hills tae start, Perhaps, my lass, I’d gie my heart, An’ plunge intae the blue. But here I stand, a land-bound cairt, Wi’ dreams I’ll ne’er pursue.
Group category
Mother and Son Team from the USA are our 2025 Burns Poetry Competition winner, Group category.
We cannot wait to see what you come up with this year. Whether you are giving us your best rendition of Rabbie or sharing a poem inspired by Scotland, your entry helps keep the joy of Burns Night alive. Join in, have fun with it and be part of our celebration of Scotland’s stories and voices. We’re excited to see your creations and to share some of our favourites throughout the month.
