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Toasting Burns
His words ring out from windswept glens.
__They lilt from lapping lochs.
I see love through his red-rose lens;
__I hear the midnight clocks
In castle nooks chime Auld Lang Syne
__As kilted suitors croon
To bonnie lasses rapt with rhyme
__Beneath a Highland moon.
His words will please till seas gang dry
__And rocks melt wi’ the sun.
They soar beyond Ben-Nevis high
__Where heather mist is spun.
So, pipe the haggis in and raise
__A cup o’ kindness, dear—
A blaze of Celtic-nectar praise
__To Bard-of-Scotland cheer.
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Burns Night Texas Style
If haggis is your greatest dread,
If you’re averse to being fed
Sheep’s pluck in gut held by a thread
__And steaming hot—
I’ll serve y’all something else instead,
__You squeamish lot!
If blasting bagpipes jar your ears
And checkered flings don’t bring forth cheers
Of glee, and Gaelic balladeers
__Just conjure woe,
Then form a square to dance, my dears—
__We’ll do-si-do!
If whisky drams and Auld Lang Syne
And kilts and sporrans make you pine
For Stetsons, rhinestones, and moonshine
__Just hold on tight—
A yellow rose and fiddle’s whine
__Will put things right.
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Susan Jarvis Bryant is from Kent, England. She is now an American citizen living on the coastal plains of Texas. Susan has poetry published in the UK webzine, Lighten Up On Line, The Daily Mail, and Openings (anthologies of poems by Open University Poets).
What a lovely, unique brand of multiculturalism, seen through a red-rose lens! Great work as always, Susan.
I loved writing these, Russel. I enjoy writing poetry for any and every occasion. I’m glad you enjoyed them.
Beautiful poetry, Susan, I love it: the first because of its subtle interweaving of Burns’ own lines; the second because of the Texan overlay, as Mike Bryant’s hold on you gets ever stronger – there’s no way back to Kent, much less Scotland!!! I’ve had many a fabulous Burn’s Night – it’s a huge disgrace to England that Scotland can manage such an outstanding poetic event when England (home of Spenser, Shakespeare and Milton) cannot!!! This year, sadly, because of Covid, I’m giving the festivity a miss – except maybe for a small wee dram.
James, thank you very much. I hope you were able to partake in a wee dram and I hope Covid is banished from Britain soon! I agree with you on the English poetry front – there should be a national holiday in honour of Shakespeare and St. George on the same day (of course) – a raising of flagons to dragons and iambs! I’m still English at heart. In fact, I am Texlish – a portmanteau that describes me perfectly… a twitcher in snake-proof boots who spreads marmalade on tortillas, drinks tea instead of coffee, and still gasps in the hellish heat. lol
Susan, I am proud of you – the mention of the word ‘marmalade’ alone means your Englishness shines through like an unquenchable beacon!
James, I always keep a spare jar under my sun hat – Paddington style.
Oh, yes! Loved them both, especially ‘Burns Night Texas Style’.
Thanks for the reads.
Thank you, Paul. I’m glad you liked ‘Burns Night Texas Style’. I wrote it with friends in mind… and giggled as I composed.
“Toasting Burns” is top-notch work, not just for the excellent ballad meter, but because it is Scottish right down to the bone. As for the second poem, it’s good too, but I can’t see why anyone in Texas would object to a traditional celebration of Burns Night.
Wherever Burns Night is celebrated, I hope they don’t neglect “The Merry Muses of Caledonia.” Despite a ferocious effort to destroy the book, two copies have survived, and show that Burns loved the randier side of Scottish life.
Joe S., thank you very much for this. I have had many a
childhood holiday in the Highlands and “Toasting Burns” came easily. It’s a breathtakingly wild and wonderful place – quite daunting for a Kentish kid.
“Burns Night, Texas Style” was based on my first Burns Night gathering in Texas. Our friends were excited, but terrified at the prospect of haggis… so, I wrote my own version of Burns’ “Address to a Haggis”… a naughty dig at their squeamishness.
There is a pdf of “The Merry Muses of Caledonia” online. It was first published in 1799 and wow!! I’ll be reading a few poems from this at our next Burns Night celebration just to highlight what a shocked lot we’ve become when it comes to words… mere words. We live in a society of violent films and video games and violence and terrorism on the streets, yet when it comes to a bawdy, non-PC poem… need I say more.
Burns has always been one of my favorites, and “Toasting Burns” struck a chord with me, because just last week I checked out a library book about Scottish villages, castles, and ruins, including places that Burns frequented. No wonder he was inspired – the glens, the heather, the rivers, the lochs – all breathtaking.
Cheryl, the Highlands of Scotland are bleak and beautiful. The villages and castles envelop you in history, and the heather is magical. It was in Scotland I first understood the sheer power of water… there are many waterfalls and fast-running rivers. The blackness of Loch Ness struck me. I could feel the monster lurking in its depths.
Cheers, Susan! These are wonderfully cheery pieces putting me in the mood for tonight’s celebration. As it is a night for reading works of any Scots poet, I’ll quote Sir Walter Scott (first stanza of “Soldier’s Song” from his “Lady of the Lake”).
Our vicar still preaches that Peter and Poule
Laid a swinging long curse on the bonny brown bowl,
That there’s wrath and despair in the bonny blackjack,
And the seven deadly sins in a flagon of sack;
Yet whoop, Barnaby, wholle off with thy liquor,
Drink upsees out, and a fig for the vicar.
One little suggestion for the Texas poem: ask Mike if it shouldn’t be, “Then form a square to dance, my dears.”
Cheers Margaret! It’s great to hear you were celebrating too. I love Sir Walter Scott’s
first stanza of “Soldier’s Song”, especially the closing couplet… which had me grinning. Thank you for your keen eye… Mike is nodding in agreement on the ‘square’ front… oops… what a horrible faux pas for one who has lived here for over a decade.
Both were exquisite, Susan, and the second was quite droll. I have a soft spot for Scotland in any event, especially when I catch some Scottish terrain in films I watch and when I settle down with serial drams of highland, lowland or island whiskies. Did you know that there is actually a malt called Ben Nevis?
Kip, I have a soft spot for films connected with Scotland. Do you know these ones? 1) I Know Where I’m Going” (1945) with Wendy Hiller and Roger Livesey; 2) Wee Geordie (1955) with Bill Travers and Norah Gorsen; 3) The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969) with Maggie Smith and Gordon Jackson. They are favorites.
Joe S., I love The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. Gordon Jackson was one of my late grandmother’s favorite actors. She adored “ginger Jocks” and Gordon oozed ginger-jockness from every pore. She would be appalled to be told that she would be cancelled for her offensive description (meant as a compliment) these days. I’m glad my grandparents aren’t here to see what’s been done to the freedom they fought for in WWII.
One of my favorites is Local Hero.
Sadly, Joseph, I don’t think I have seen any of the films you noted. The one I have seen and remember best was one of Burt Lancaster’s last films, and might just be the one Susan mentions below, Local Hero. I honestly do not know where they were filmed, but I loved Braveheart and Rob Roy.
Thank you, C.B. I am sure the essence of Scotland is coursing through your veins. Isn’t the name Anderson of Scottish origin? My brother has the same appreciation of the land and the liquor. I have raised many a glass of fine malt with him in celebration of life and every time I take a sip of this sweet and peaty elixir, it reminds me of my family… which is why I haven’t had any during times of Covid… I begin to pine. Ben Nevis is a very fine malt indeed. I’m going to make you cringe now… I celebrated Burns Night with a wee dram of Wild Turkey 101… shhh!
Yes, Susan, even as I type this that essence is coursing. And you are correct that Anderson is a Scottish name, meaning Son of (Saint) Andrew, and equivalent to MacAndrew, though there are several Germanic (especially Scandinavian) equivalents. I won’t tell anyone about the WT, but I’ll bet there is at least one liquor store in Houston that carries at least a hundred varieties of single malt Scotch whisky
Susan, both of these poems have me grinning. “Toasting Burns” is so chock full of delightful Burns and Scottish references as to make me nostalgic for a place to which I have never been. But Scotland is still on my bucket list. A special shout-out for the delightful alliteration of “lilt from lapping lochs.”
“Burns Night Texas Style” made me laugh out loud. As your shy next door neighbor we New Mexicans are greatly influenced by Texas culture so recognition came quickly and with great delight. Though I must say I’ve never yet met a squeamish Texan. I think the structure of this poem is perfect and, if I’m not mistaken, was much influenced by Burns’ “To a Mouse”…?
As usual, thank you for a most enjoyable read, Susan!
Brian, it thrills me to hear that Scotland is on your bucket list – you’ll love it and I’m glad you like all the lilting and lapping… I love the musicality of words and try to write poetry that sings.
I was giggling as I wrote “Burns Night Texas Style.” I had never met a squeamish Texan until I mentioned the word “haggis”. No, I tell a lie… Mike shuddered when I served him a traditional English breakfast complete with two slices of black pudding. He’ll brave an alligator, snake, black widow, and brown recluse, but he draws the line at black pudding. This poem was inspired by “Address to a Haggis”, although I love “To a Mouse” and “To a Louse”, and I’m sure there’s a pinch of mouse and louse (oozing from the haggis) between the lines. lol
As ever, thank you very much for the lovely comment, and the smile.
Hoots Mon Susan, these are brilliant. A Scottish musician friend of mine has a black belt in the noble art of Seeyoutoo (As in “Seeyoutoo Jimmy” which accompanies the infamous head-butting“Glasgow Kiss”) and often asks “Are we Scots thick, or can we do gooder? I think Bonnie Prince Charlie deserves a mention tonight, although folk at the time were foolish to trust a man named after three sheep dogs. I remember the year that Glasgow was chosen as City of Culture when people would roll out of pubs to find their cars, wheels missing and jacked up on books. Thanks for a great read today.
Jeff, your comment has me laughing out loud… Russ Abbott has appeared before my eyes in all his kilted glory! I love the Bonnie Prince Charlie joke and the City of Culture observation… that accolade has obviously gone the way of the Nobel Peace Prize and the Knighthood. There’s a fine line between comedy and tragedy… thank you for the grin beyond the grimace.
That was very entertaining, thank you Susan. I’ll take the yellow rose of Texas on the fiddle please.
Yael, thank you! Please accept my yellow rose and a fiddle. I know you will do both of them justice. 🙂
Thanks so much Susan for your tribute to Rabbie Burns! He is also one of my favorite poets. I have a mind to visit Scotland some day, particularly Islay, where some of my ancestors came from.
Both poems had a Burns-like lilt to them, even your Texas themed second piece.
Thank you very much, David. What bold stock you’re from. I am thinking of the extremes of weather where Scotland and Australia are concerned. I hope you get to Islay someday soon and get to quote your favourite lines from Burns amid the purple heather. 🙂
If you go to Islay, David, be sure to visit the distilleries there. There are at least eight of them, and they all produce such robust spirits that it’s hard to choose a favorite. Let’s see: Ardbeg, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Caol Ila, Kilchoman, Lagavulin, Laphroaig, and one I hadn’t heard of until tonight, Sanaig. And bear in mind that Islay is pronounced EYE-luh.