Tomorrow across Scotland and round the world there will be celebrations to mark the birth of Scotland’s National poet, Robert Burns, born in 1759. I’ve partially updated a previous Burns’ Night poem to include some recent events on which he would certainly have made his views known. Here’s to the great man.
Burns’ Night Rhyme
2024! An opening door?
Another Burns’ night’s round again.
Our Rabbie (5 starred), the Immortal Bard,
is toasted tonight, do ye ken?
Ploughman Poet from Ayr, his natural flair
for the feelings of his fellow Man
touched our hearts to the core, now and evermore
till mankind becomes one big clan
And what would he think as we live on the brink
in a world gone frankly quite mad.
He’d pick up his pen as he did way back then
and coin sound advice in verse clad.
Take our EU Brexit which clearly wrecked it,
appalled, he would say, “Man, you’re fou.
It must be better to borders unfetter
and bring Man togither, the noo.
I canna believe it’s too late to retrieve it.
Test the water with referenda,
but tie selves in knots? Nae, be like canny Scots
and adopt a long term agenda.
And just one more thang ere “Auld Lang Syne” ye sang,
the world’s now a place run by loons.
We’re for the high jump with Donald J Trump,
compromise displaced by High Noons.
No Gary Cooper, he’s more party pooper.
He’ll throw all his toys from the pram.
We’ll be left in the dark and no Cutty Sark
and no Meg to ride off on like Tam.
Post-Hamas slaughter, Netanyahu, “No quarter!”
The world must demand a ceasefire.
Gaza’s innocent throng have suffered too long
as death toll goes higher and higher.
It masks the Ukraine, allows Putin to rain
his drone bombs down with impunity.
Attention span gone, of news we have none.
We cannot concede him immunity.
Grant us and gi’us to see as others see us
in our time on this Earth which is brief,
to love one another, treat all as a brother
in one universal belief.”
PS Here’s an addendum, my verses to end’em:
King Charles the Third is now reigning.
For me there’s no change. It may seem quite strange.
I’ll stick to my EU remaining.
doggerelbanksy 