For Burns Night .....

StewL · Post by **StewL** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 3:27 pm

TO A MOUSE

ON TURNING HER UP IN HER NEST WITH PLOUGH
NOVEMBER 1785

Wee sleeker, cowrin’n tim’rous beastie
O’ what a panic’s in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa’ sae hasty,
Wi’ bickerin’ brattle!
I wid be lath to rin an’ chase thee,
Wi’ murderin pattle!

I’m truly sorry man’s dominion,
Has broken nature’s social union,
An’ justifies that ill opinion,
Which makes thee startle
At me, thy poor, earth-born companion,
An’ fellow mortal!

I doubt na, na whyles, but thou may thieve
What then? Poor beastie, though maun live!
A daimen icker in a thrave
‘S a sma’ request;
I’ll get a blessin’ wi’ the lave,
An’ never miss’t!

Thy wee bit housie, too, in ruin!
It’s silly wa’s the win’s are strewin’!
An’ naithing, now, to big a new ane,
O’ foggage green!
An’ bleak December’s winds ensuin’
Baith snell an’ keen!

Thou saw the fileds laid bare an’ waster,
An’ weary winter comin’ fast.
An’ cozie her, beneath the blast,
Thou thought to dwell –
Till crash! the cruel coulter past
Out thro’ thy cell.

That wee bit heap o’ leaves an’ stibble.
Hast cost thee mony a weary nibble!
Now thou’s turn’d out, for a’ thy trouble,
But house of hald,
To thole the winter’s sleety dribble,
An’ cranreuch cauld!

But Mousie, thou art no thy lane,
In proving foresight may be vain;
The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men
Gang aft agley,
An’ lea’e us noght but grief an’ pain,
For promis’d oy!

Still thou art blest, compar’d wi’ me!
The present only toucheth thee:
But och! I backward cast my e’e
On prospects drear!
An’ forward, tho’ I canna see.
guess an’ fear!

Rabbie Burns
(1759-1796)

StewL · Post by **StewL** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 3:29 pm

TO THE UNCO-GUID

OR THE RIGIDLY RIGHTEOUS

My Son, these maxims make a rule,
An’ lump them ay thegither;
The RIGID RIGHTEOUS is a fool,
The RIGID WISE anither:
The cleanest corn that e’er was dight
May hae some pyles o’ caff in:
So ne’er a fellow-creature slight
For random fits o’ daffin.

SOLOMON. – Eccles, ch. Vii. Verse 16

Alcluith · Post by **Alcluith** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 7:58 pm

TAE A FERT

Oh what a sleekit horrible beastie
That lurks in yer belly efter the feastie
Just as ye sit doon among yer kin
There sterts to stir an enormous wind

The neeps and tatties and mushy peas
Stert workin like a gentle breeze
But soon the puddin wi the sauncie face
Will have ye blawin all ower the place

Nae matter whit the hell ye dae
A'bodys gonnae have tae pay
Even if ye try tae stifle
It's like a bullet oot a rifle

Hawd yer bahookie tight tae the chair
Tae try and stop the leakin air
Shify yersel fae cheek tae cheek
Prae tae God it doesnae reek
But aw yer efforts go assunder
Oot it comes like a clap a thunder

Ricochets aroon the room
Mighty me a sonic boom!
God almighty it fairly reeks
Hope I huvnae filled ma breeks

Tae the bog I better scurry
Aw whit the hell, it's no ma worry

A'body roon aboot me chokin
Wan or two are nearly bokin
I'll feel better for a while
Cannae help but rise a smile

Wis him! I shout with accusin glower
Alas too late, he's just keeled ower
Ye dirty bugger they shout and stare
A dinnae feel welcome any mair

Where e're ye go let ye wind gan free
Sounds like just the place fur me
Whit a fuss at rabbie's perty
Ower the sake o' one wee ferty.

By: A Dinnae Ken

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 9:06 pm

Bravo!
HK

DavidWW · Post by **DavidWW** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 9:23 pm

This is not that well known, apart from the last few lines!

To A Louse
On Seeing One On A Lady's Bonnet, At Church

Ha! whaur ye gaun, ye crowlin ferlie?
Your impudence protects you sairly;
I canna say but ye strunt rarely,
Owre gauze and lace;
Tho', faith! I fear ye dine but sparely
On sic a place.

Ye ugly, creepin, blastit wonner,
Detested, shunn'd by saunt an' sinner,
How daur ye set your fit upon her-
Sae fine a lady?
Gae somewhere else and seek your dinner
On some poor body.

Swith! in some beggar's haffet squattle;
There ye may creep, and sprawl, and sprattle,
Wi' ither kindred, jumping cattle,
In shoals and nations;
Whaur horn nor bane ne'er daur unsettle
Your thick plantations.

Now haud you there, ye're out o' sight,
Below the fatt'rels, snug and tight;
Na, faith ye yet! ye'll no be right,
Till ye've got on it-
The verra tapmost, tow'rin height
O' Miss' bonnet.

My sooth! right bauld ye set your nose out,
As plump an' grey as ony groset:
O for some rank, mercurial rozet,
Or fell, red smeddum,
I'd gie you sic a hearty dose o't,
Wad dress your droddum.

I wad na been surpris'd to spy
You on an auld wife's flainen toy;
Or aiblins some bit dubbie boy,
On's wyliecoat;
But Miss' fine Lunardi! fye!
How daur ye do't?

O Jeany, dinna toss your head,
An' set your beauties a' abread!
Ye little ken what cursed speed
The blastie's makin:
Thae winks an' finger-ends, I dread,
Are notice takin.

O wad some Power the giftie gie us
To see oursels as ithers see us!
It wad frae mony a blunder free us,
An' foolish notion:
What airs in dress an' gait wad lea'e us,
An' ev'n devotion!

WilmaM · Post by **WilmaM** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 9:36 pm

THE SELKIRK GRACE

Some hae meat and canna eat

and some wad eat that want it

but we hae meat and we can eat

and sae the Lord be thankit

nelmit · Post by **nelmit** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 11:17 pm

If I can stop laughing at Drew's post I'll sing a wee song (on second thoughts somebody else should sing 'cos my voice would spoil it)

AE FOND KISS
by: Robert Burns

Ae fond kiss, and then we sever;
Ae farewell, alas, for ever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee!

Who shall say that Fortune grieves him
While the star of hope she leaves him?
Me, nae cheerfu' twinkle lights me,
Dark despair around benights me.

I'll ne'er blame my partial fancy;
Naething could resist my Nancy;
But to see her was to love her,
Love but her, and love for ever.

Had we never loved sae kindly,
Had we never loved sae blindly,
Never met--or never parted,
We had ne'er been broken-hearted.

Fare thee weel, thou first and fairest!
Fare thee weel, thou best and dearest!
Thine be ilka joy and treasure,
Peace, enjoyment, love, and pleasure!

Ae fond kiss, and then we sever!
Ae farewell, alas, for ever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee!

Post by **Jean Jeanie** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 3:41 pm

Alcluith wrote:TAE A FERT

I laughed so much it hurt!!

Jean

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 3:46 pm

My husband didn't know what to think.I tried to tell him but instead just let him read it himself.He was soon shaking from laughing.

HK

mjh · Post by **mjh** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 2:39 pm

WilmaM wrote:THE SELKIRK GRACE

Some hae meat and canna eat

and some wad eat that want it

but we hae meat and we can eat

and sae the Lord be thankit

I enjoyed reading all the poems, but I especially remember this one. My Dad would sometimes say it. As usual, I 'm at least a day late reading them all. Heather or one of the kids are usually on the computer so I wait till I get to work ( I get in 20 minutes early and I'm all alone, got a whole building to myself and an empty office) it's a great time to read the postings. I generally find that the phone rings before I can post though. So all you people with your poems, and stories, especially those written in my first language- I was born in Glasgow and christened in Millport and then was carried away to Canada just after my first birthday - keep on writing . People like me depend on you for a smile or a laugh when you bring a memory to life.

Thank you all,

TalkingScot.com

For Burns Night .....

For Burns Night .....

Only read if you have a sense of humour

Time for a wee song

Re: Only read if you have a sense of humour