Some hae meat and canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it;
But we hae meat, and we can eat,
And sae let the Lord be thankit.
--Scottish poet Robert Burns,
born 25 January 1759
We're all Scottish on this, the birthday of The Bard of Ayrshire. Robert "Rabbie" Burns is perhaps best known for the song we all sing on New Years Eve, "Auld Lang Syne," but many of his other poems and songs remain well-known across the world.
Tonight, I will be celebrating all things Rabbie with a wee dram of single malt and a bit of poetry.
You might enjoy this rendition of "A Man's A Man For A' That" (HERE). This poem is regarded as Burns' vision of humanity. He looked forward to a more egalitarian society. I wonder what he would say about the American Revolution, which occurred in his lifetime, if he could come back and see the results today.
And if you are feeling adventurous, a dramatic reading of Tam O'Shanter is (HERE). For your convenience, the poem is translated from Scottish to English (HERE). Note the translations of John Barleycorn and Cutty Sark.
Happy birthday, Rabbie! Here's mud in your eye!
No comments:
Post a Comment