Happy Birthday Rabbie.

[HeatherH]

Happy Haggis Day everyone!!!
Shouldn't wee have a Hamish the Haggis smillie????
Happy Hunting all,
Heather

[AndrewP]

Probably one of the most recited ones on this day.

• Address to a Haggis
  
  Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
  Great chieftain o' the puddin-race!
  Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
  Painch, tripe, or thairm:
  Weel are ye wordy of a grace
  As lang's my arm.
  
  The groaning trencher there ye fill,
  Your hudies like a distant hill,
  Your pin wad help to mend a mill
  In time o' need,
  While thro' your pores the dews distil
  Like amber bead.
  
  His knife see rustic Labour dight,
  An' cut ye up wi' ready slight,
  Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
  Like onie ditch;
  And then, O what a glorious sight,
  Warm-reeking, rich!
  
  Then horn for horn, they stretch an' strive:
  Deil tak the hindmost, on they drive,
  Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve
  Are bent like drums;
  Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
  'Bethankit!' hums.
  
  Is there that owre his French ragout,
  Or olio that wad staw a sow,
  Or fricassee wad mak her spew
  Wi perfect scunner,
  Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu' view
  On sic a dinner?
  
  Poor devil! see him owre his trash,
  As fecl;ess as a wither'd rash,
  His spindle shank a guid whip-lash,
  His nieve a nit;
  Tho' bluidy flood or field to dash,
  O how unfit.
  
  But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
  The trembling earth resounds his tread,
  Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
  He'll make it whistle;
  An' legs, an' arms, an' heads will sned
  Like taps o' thrissle.
  
  Ye pow'rs, wha mak mankind your care,
  And dish them out their bill o' fare,
  Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware,
  That jaups in luggies;
  But if ye wish her gratfu' prayer,
  Gie her a Haggis!

A translation into standard English is given at http://www.worldburnsclub.com/poems/tra ... haggis.htm

All the best,

AndrewP

[csa]

Hi

BBC Scotland is recording all of Robert Burns's poetic works. Some of Scotland's best-loved actors will perform his verse over the next couple of years. There are over 100 recordings available now, with more to follow.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/robertburns/works/

Happy Burn's Night

Carolyn

[Montrose Budie]

Most of you, I hope, know the famous quotation from Burns' 'To a Mouse' (not 'Tae a Moose' as often referred to!) -

The best-laid schemes o' mice an 'men
Gang aft agley,


But there's probably not that many who know the full quotation, -

The best-laid schemes o' mice an 'men
Gang aft agley,
An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,
For promis'd joy!

mb

[scooter]

..and a piece of Burns that's written on my wee sisters headstone....

Here lies a rose, a budding rose
Blasted before its bloom;
Whose innocence did sweets disclose
Beyond that flower's perfume.

To those who for her loss are grieved,
This consolation's given-
She's from a world of woe relieved,
And blooms a rose in heaven.

Scott

[AnneM]

Scott

That's lovely. But so sad that your wee sister has a headstone.

There is just so much of Burns that means so much to everyone though my own favourite is Ae Fond Kiss. I can't sing the verse which begins Fare thee weel my first and fairest etc without welling up. It minds me of days gone by which I probably should not remember!! We've all got our history and Burns expresses it so well.

Anne

[joette]

I'm with you Anne although I can't sing for toffee I do love to belt it out.
It reminds me of youth,broken hearts & love lost.

I wonder if Rabbie wrote the words for one of his wee lassies?
irth:
03 MAR 1788 Mossgiel, , Ayr, Scotland
Christening:
Death:
03 MAR 1788
Burial:
Father: Robert Burns
Mother:Jean Armour.


That is so sad Scott but very poignant & moving.

[scooter]

Hello there, yes, he wrote it for his daughter who died. My father remembered it from somewhere and asked his brother to read it at the funeral, and then the first verse was carved into the headstone. It's a lovely piece, without going into too much detail, http://www.kellywishart.co.uk should give you a rough background to my sister's story.

Be well,

Scott

[Bertha]

Sorry I missed yesterday but was scooting round the shops picking up the ingredients for my husband's Burns Night on Wednesday. We are catering for 80! Hubbie & I will spend all day cooking, he will make the Cock-a-leekie soup, hope it turns out better than mine did on Sunday, put the rice in & oops too much, it absorbed all the water. Eldest daughter thought I had made Chicken Risotto!
My husband has attended about 6 Burns Suppers this year, one after the other. Only one of these permitted the attendance of "The Lassies"! His will be a male only affair too but we Lassies will do the dishing up & washing up! Yet guess what he wanted for his Sunday Dinner, Haggis!
I love all Burns work but my favourite has to be "Holy Wullies' Prayer" by serving at many a Burns Night I have seen this done both amateur & professional & not seen a bad one yet.
My husband's speciality used to be "The Immortal Memory" but this year for the 1st time he is doing the "Address To The Haggis" & I must say its as good as any I have seen over the last 20yrs. My son has taken over the Immortal Memory mantel.
So Rabbie heres' to the next 250!
Bertha

[Montrose Budie]

......snipped..............he will make the Cock-a-leekie soup, hope it turns out better than mine did on Sunday, put the rice in & oops too much, it absorbed all the water. Eldest daughter thought I had made Chicken Risotto!
.....snipped................
Bertha

Hi Bertha

'Chicken Risotto' indeed !!

How's your third party insurance?, as I just sprayed some liquid over my keyboard ! <vbg>

mb