Kandinskyesque
Friend of Leo's
It's our national Bard's day today. Mr Robert Burns.
Had he still been alive, he would have been 264 years old today.
I used to be quite heavily involved in my local Burns club, providing some of the music at the supper and developing a purple nose by consuming copious amounts of sporran water.
However, it ceased for me in 2012 when I got sober.
The only Burns Supper, I've attended since then was in 2019, when an actor friend of mine roped me into providing the pa system and sound engineering duties for our First Minister's annual Burns Supper (I'm politically agnostic).
These days I have my own Burns Supper for one Haggis, Neeps(turnip) and Tatties(potatoes), sparkling water, knock out a few tunes on my guitar and reflect on one of his poems.
For those of you who wish to be temporarily Scottish for the day, here's a song and a poem to go with your food and libation of choice.
Have a happy Rabbie Burns day!!!
That hings his head, an’ a’ that;
The coward-slave, we pass him by,
We dare be poor for a’ that!
For a’ that, an’ a’ that.
Our toils obscure an’ a’ that,
The rank is but the guinea’s stamp,
The Man’s the gowd for a’ that.
What though on hamely fare we dine,
Wear hoddin grey, an’ a that;
Gie fools their silks, and knaves their wine;
A Man’s a Man for a’ that:
For a’ that, and a’ that,
Their tinsel show, an’ a’ that;
The honest man, tho’ e’er sae poor,
Is king o’ men for a’ that.
Ye see yon birkie ca’d a lord,
Wha struts, an’ stares, an’ a’ that,
Tho’ hundreds worship at his word,
He’s but a coof for a’ that.
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
His ribband, star, an’ a’ that,
The man o’ independent mind,
He looks an’ laughs at a’ that.
A Prince can mak a belted knight,
A marquis, duke, an’ a’ that!
But an honest man’s aboon his might –
Guid faith, he mauna fa’ that!
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
Their dignities, an’ a’ that,
The pith o’ Sense an’ pride o’ Worth
Are higher rank than a’ that.
Then let us pray that come it may,
As come it will for a’ that,
That Sense and Worth, o’er a’ the earth
Shall bear the gree an’ a’ that.
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
It’s comin yet for a’ that,
That Man to Man the warld o’er
Shall brithers be for a’ that.
Had he still been alive, he would have been 264 years old today.
I used to be quite heavily involved in my local Burns club, providing some of the music at the supper and developing a purple nose by consuming copious amounts of sporran water.
However, it ceased for me in 2012 when I got sober.
The only Burns Supper, I've attended since then was in 2019, when an actor friend of mine roped me into providing the pa system and sound engineering duties for our First Minister's annual Burns Supper (I'm politically agnostic).
These days I have my own Burns Supper for one Haggis, Neeps(turnip) and Tatties(potatoes), sparkling water, knock out a few tunes on my guitar and reflect on one of his poems.
For those of you who wish to be temporarily Scottish for the day, here's a song and a poem to go with your food and libation of choice.
Have a happy Rabbie Burns day!!!
A Man’s a Man for a’ That
Is there for honest PovertyThat hings his head, an’ a’ that;
The coward-slave, we pass him by,
We dare be poor for a’ that!
For a’ that, an’ a’ that.
Our toils obscure an’ a’ that,
The rank is but the guinea’s stamp,
The Man’s the gowd for a’ that.
What though on hamely fare we dine,
Wear hoddin grey, an’ a that;
Gie fools their silks, and knaves their wine;
A Man’s a Man for a’ that:
For a’ that, and a’ that,
Their tinsel show, an’ a’ that;
The honest man, tho’ e’er sae poor,
Is king o’ men for a’ that.
Ye see yon birkie ca’d a lord,
Wha struts, an’ stares, an’ a’ that,
Tho’ hundreds worship at his word,
He’s but a coof for a’ that.
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
His ribband, star, an’ a’ that,
The man o’ independent mind,
He looks an’ laughs at a’ that.
A Prince can mak a belted knight,
A marquis, duke, an’ a’ that!
But an honest man’s aboon his might –
Guid faith, he mauna fa’ that!
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
Their dignities, an’ a’ that,
The pith o’ Sense an’ pride o’ Worth
Are higher rank than a’ that.
Then let us pray that come it may,
As come it will for a’ that,
That Sense and Worth, o’er a’ the earth
Shall bear the gree an’ a’ that.
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
It’s comin yet for a’ that,
That Man to Man the warld o’er
Shall brithers be for a’ that.
