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Poetry


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To the Star of Rabbie Burns

By Talisker

25 January 2007

On this his birthday, an unworthy, but heartfelt prayer.

Dear Rabbie, I survey the sky,
on this your birthday night and try,
to choose a bonnie star that may be you.
I find much comfort in the thought,
that inspiration can be sought,
from your immortal memory anew.

A man’s a man, you taught our hearts,
for a’ that love and life imparts,
it matters not what race or creed or hue.
Rich or poor of destitute,
Humanity is at our root,
let’s on this night our brotherhood renew.

For auld lang syne you bade us sing,
to make the rafters swell and ring,
with joy for being together and alive.
So let us all take up your sword,
let’s heed tonight your every word,
as in your name for harmony we strive.

For Rabbie, as you knew too well,
there’s Heaven in men’s hearts, and Hell,
and every shade of prejudice between.
If we can only find some way,
to bring alive your words today,
then fellowship of man might reign supreme.

Sweet Bard, those fiends who rule the earth,
with blood and tears and pain and death,
are naught but zoologically men.
Yet still we pray there’ll be a time,
when global tyrants pay for crime,
and on our planet peace will rule, Amen.

Oli 25/01/07

Reviews

Written by Fledermaus (3448 comments posted) 25th January 2007

A poem about a poet... Interesting...

Written by Phil (6838 comments posted) 25th January 2007

So much to like and admire in this. First: your admiration for Burns shines strong and deep in this. It's taught me a thing or two about him and had me checking a few things in my Penguin edition of Burns. Like many of your poems, this read aloud very well - I enjoyed the rhythm and rhyme pattern.

My favourite Burns - probably easy to predict - Tam O' Shanter - apart from being a ripping yarn and bloody good poetry - has always been special. I had a friend from Elgin, now dead, who in his cups would recite Tam from start to finish. Happy days. Warm memories. Tear in my eye.

Thanks.

Phil.

Thanks Phil...
Written by Talisker (1328 comments posted) 25th January 2007

I can recite Tam O' Shanter start to finish too, it would be my honour some day, to do so for you...

Oli

Written by Witzl (1585 comments posted) 26th January 2007

Much enjoyed, Oli.

My father was named after Robert Burns; he used to recite the Selkirk grace at our table and I didn't even know what it meant or where it was from. One of my very first memories is of my mother reciting Burns' poem about the field mouse. She was a great Burns fan and knew most of his poems by heart, but it was only after I moved to Scotland and was sitting waiting at the Burns monument in Dumfries one day when I realized that he was the poet responsible for 'Man's inhumanity to man / makes countless thousands mourn.' This was pretty much my mother's constant lament; I must have heard it several hundred times during the Vietnam War alone.

Have you seen the relatively new monument to Jean Armour in Dumfries? If anyone deserves a statue in her honor, she certainly does.

Written by Phil (6838 comments posted) 26th January 2007

I'd love to hear it one day Oli, I really would.
I'll not forget either.

Phil.

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