Poetry

Robert Burns Night 2023

 in Poetry by
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With January 25th comes Burns Night, the day when people celebrate the life and poetry of the famous Scottish poet Robert Burns.

As someone with Scottish heritage (my grandmother’s family line) I celebrate this day with my family. Normally we will have some traditional Scottish foods such as Haggis (which while some think is yucky is quite delicious), black pudding and of course some Scotch. 😉 Can never go wrong with that.

But it is also an evening for us to enjoy some of Burns’ most interesting poems. We of course have our favorites, and everyone who knows of Burns knows the classics and has their favorites as well. However, here are a few of mine that I think really show his abilities and are good places to start for those unfamiliar!

To A Mouse – Such a wonderful classic that begins with the turning up of a mouse’s nest with a plough. One of my personal favorites!

A Red, Red Rose – A beautiful love poem with a speaker professing his undying love for a beautiful lass.

Address to a Haggis – A humorous tribute to a Scottish classic!

Tam O’ Shanter – A bit more of a gruesome poem about a story of a farmer who comes across witches!

About Robert Burns

Born in 1759, Robert Burns (familiar: Rabbie Burns) was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely accepted and regarded as the national poet of Scotland. Even with this title, much of his writing is accessible and understandable by an audience beyond Scotland.

He was a pioneer of the Romantic movement (as clearly visible in some of his poems).

While people outside of Scotland may not recognize a lot of his work, one you will absolutely recognize is sung every year on New Year – Auld Lang Syne!

 

There are some incredible works by him if you want to get your hands on some hard copies too!

Even for those of you not Scottish or have any Scottish heritage, do you celebrate?

 

 

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World Poetry Day – March 21, 2020

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March 21st is World Poetry Day as designed by UNESCO!

Of course there’s some fantastic classics like The Cat In The Hat but what about something more pertinent to today during COVID-19.

“Hope” is the thing with feathers by Emily Dickinson 

“Hope” is the thing with feathers –
That perches in the soul –
And sings the tune without the words –
And never stops – at all –

And sweetest – in the Gale – is heard –
And sore must be the storm –
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm –

I’ve heard it in the chillest land –
And on the strangest Sea –
Yet – never – in Extremity,
It asked a crumb – of me.

Veterans Day – A Remembrance Poem [In Flanders Fields]

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On this 100th Anniversary of the end of WWI, I felt that this poem was very appropriate to mark this day. It’s used a lot on Veterans day and I didn’t know about it until today. It’s incredibly powerful and really hits home if you take a moment to read it an internalize it.
Take a moment, not meaninglessly thank a Veteran, but to say to them ‘I will remember you and what you have done’.
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
    That mark our place; and in the sky
    The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
    Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
        In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
    The torch; be yours to hold it high.
    If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
        In Flanders fields.
– In Flanders Fields by John McCrae

Bad Poetry Day – August 18th [Respects to William McGonagall] 10

 in Poetry by

On this wonderful Saturday, you can spend the day reading some really bad poetry. Why?

Because today is Bad Poetry Day!

You may want to pay some respects to William McGonagall, who is known to have written the worst poetry in history.

Check out some other bad poems here. A simple google search will bring up tons!

The Tay Bridge Disaster

by William McGonagall

Beautiful Railway Bridge of the Silv’ry Tay!
Alas! I am very sorry to say
That ninety lives have been taken away
On the last Sabbath day of 1879,
Which will be remember’d for a very long time.

’Twas about seven o’clock at night,
And the wind it blew with all its might,
And the rain came pouring down,
And the dark clouds seem’d to frown,
And the Demon of the air seem’d to say-
“I’ll blow down the Bridge of Tay.”

When the train left Edinburgh
The passengers’ hearts were light and felt no sorrow,
But Boreas blew a terrific gale,
Which made their hearts for to quail,
And many of the passengers with fear did say-
“I hope God will send us safe across the Bridge of Tay.”

But when the train came near to Wormit Bay,
Boreas he did loud and angry bray,
And shook the central girders of the Bridge of Tay
On the last Sabbath day of 1879,
Which will be remember’d for a very long time.

So the train sped on with all its might,
And Bonnie Dundee soon hove in sight,
And the passengers’ hearts felt light,
Thinking they would enjoy themselves on the New Year,
With their friends at home they lov’d most dear,
And wish them all a happy New Year.

So the train mov’d slowly along the Bridge of Tay,
Until it was about midway,
Then the central girders with a crash gave way,
And down went the train and passengers into the Tay!
The Storm Fiend did loudly bray,
Because ninety lives had been taken away,
On the last Sabbath day of 1879,
Which will be remember’d for a very long time.

As soon as the catastrophe came to be known
The alarm from mouth to mouth was blown,
And the cry rang out all o’er the town,
Good Heavens! the Tay Bridge is blown down,
And a passenger train from Edinburgh,
Which fill’d all the peoples hearts with sorrow,
And made them for to turn pale,
Because none of the passengers were sav’d to tell the tale
How the disaster happen’d on the last Sabbath day of 1879,
Which will be remember’d for a very long time.

It must have been an awful sight,
To witness in the dusky moonlight,
While the Storm Fiend did laugh, and angry did bray,
Along the Railway Bridge of the Silv’ry Tay,
Oh! ill-fated Bridge of the Silv’ry Tay,
I must now conclude my lay
By telling the world fearlessly without the least dismay,
That your central girders would not have given way,
At least many sensible men do say,
Had they been supported on each side with buttresses,
At least many sensible men confesses,
For the stronger we our houses do build,
The less chance we have of being killed.

The Lion by Roald Dahl 2

 in Fun / Poetry by

Poems are short little stories in their own way. It’s a bite sized way that one is able to travel and experience things that they otherwise might not be able to. Roald Dahl, besides being a fantastic writer of novels, also wrote poetry (which quite a few people apparently do not know). One of his most famous poems (according to some searching around) is The Lion.

I do have to say, the poem is making me a little peckish. How about you?

The Lion by Roald Dahl

“The lion just adores to eat
A lot of red and tender meat
And if you ask the lion what
Is much the tenderest of the lot,
He will not say a roast of lamb
Or curried beef or devilled ham
Or crispy pork or corned beef hash
Or sausages or mutton mash.
Then could it be a big plump hen?
He answers no. What is it, then?
Oh, lion dear, could I not make
You happy with a lovely steak?
Could I entice you from your lair
With rabbit pie or roasted hare?
The lion smiled and shook his head
He came up very close and said,
‘The meat I am about to chew
Is neither steak nor chops. IT’S YOU.’”

– from Dirty Beasts by Roald Dahl

 


Roald Dahl has written an incredible collection of books like The Witches (which was my favorite when I was young), Matilda, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (which had a 1973 movie version and a 2005 version).

There’s some incredible collections of his books out there which are honestly, in my opinion, the perfect gift for younger to middle aged children and even some adults would be super happy with it. I know I would be!

 

MyLibraryCardWoreOut is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This in no way affects my opinion of the information included in this post. Read my full disclosure here.