Robert Burns (25 January 1759 - 21 July 1796) is considered Scotland's national poet and the best known poet writing in Scots. He wrote mainly in the Scottish dialect of the regions of Scotland bordering England, but also in English and Scots English. Burns's poetry features protests against social injustice. In it he emphasizes the value of the human being regardless of wealth or status. His nature lyrics depict nature as it appeared to the Scottish peasant as he transformed it through his labour. His poems contain both humour and biting satire, alluding to real people whom he did not name. His rewritings and reworkings of old songs and ballads are so successful that they have been nationalised and their earlier versions forgotten. In his love songs he was able to penetrate deeply into the heart of the man or girl in love. He expresses himself in them with extraordinary tenderness and passion, not shying away from the frankness of folk expression.
