Sunday, January 25, 2009

Burns Night

What a terrific poet he was. Read some of his stuff today if you can.


"For a' that, an' a' that,
It's coming yet for a' that,
That Man to Man, the world o'er,
Shall brothers be for a' that."

12 comments:

nmj said...

He was a great poet, no doubt.

Reading the Signs said...

I read the whole poem out loud last night, NMJ, my accent notwithstanding, and remembered how stirring an experience it was the first time I heard it spoken.

Collin Kelley said...

Do you wish people a "Happy Burns Night?"

Reading the Signs said...

Well some of us do, Collin, but I don't think people actually go around saying that in Scotland. Or they didn't when I used to be there.

I had a happy one last night with neighbours over the road, singing songs. And my neighbour stabbed the haggis and recited the traditional poem.

nmj said...

No, Colin, you don't wish people Happy Burns night - you might go to a Burns Supper or you might not. But I'd say he is in your head, regardless, and you might have a tear in your eye at the beauty of his words.

nmj said...

Sorry, Collin with two 'l's!

Anonymous said...

Very nicely put, NMJ, although I think it would be nice to wish people a Happy Burns Day or Night.

Signs - the man can be an absolute joy and stabbingly moving with it. Lovely to find this here, thanks. Happy Burns Day or Night.

Kind regards etc...

TPE

Montag said...

The Baile Corcaigh pub in Detroit has an annual Robert Burns night on the anniversary of his birth.

It was like a pan-gaelic festival, although there was not a Breton in sight.
I would like to go to a Scots pub, too, for a Jonathan Swift night...just for good balance.

Reading the Signs said...

Thank you kindly, McTPE. Your good wishes went into the ether and travelled all the way to the Edge. It is a glorious post-Burns night day here.

Hello Montag. Although I have much respect for the man as a writer, I don't think a Johnathan Swift night would carry the same charge, for it would lack the heart forces that one associates with the writing of Burns. But if you have one, let me know how it turns out.

north said...

what we say is - ye'll have hud yer haggis then? then tis said - be upstanding to toast the immortal memory of the bard - Robert Burns. Food for thought from Burn's poem - to a mouse - as the sea bird population crashes through starvation (because of over fishing to feed salmon on salmon farms) - 'I'm truly sorry man's dominion has broken nature's social union.'

Kahless said...

(o)

Reading the Signs said...

I am very partial to haggis, Ms North, so I would probably say, "no, ah havnae," and be very disappointed if none were offered. But I would be upstanding, whatever.

Hi K