the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry

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English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From a Scots poem by Robert Burns, To a Mouse.

Proverb

the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry

  1. No matter how well a project is planned, accidents or misfortune can still happen with it.
    • 1785, Robert Burns, To a Mouse:
      But mouse, you are not alone,
      In proving foresight may be vain;
      The best laid schemes of mice and men go often askew
      And leave us nothing but grief and pain,
      For promised joy!
    • 1971, Neal Cassady, “Letter to Jack Kerouac, March 7, 1947”, in The First Third, City Lights, page 125:
      Knowing her supremely perfect being was completely mine [] I could conceive of no obstacle to my satisfaction, well, “the best laid plans of mice & men go astray” and my nemesis was her sister, the bitch.

Synonyms

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