Tags
Burns supper, Galford, Haggis, poetry, Poets, Pretzels and Bullfights, Robert Burns, Romanticism, Scotland
Put away the pretzels. Still the bullfights. This week at the pub we’re serving up a healthy bowl of haggis.
What? Was it something I said? You look a little pale. What’s a little sheep guts between friends? No? Alright, well, I suppose it’s your loss. Nevertheless, you’re still going to need a kilt to get through the bouncers this week.
Our showcase in the world of poetry this time around is Robert Burns, one of Scotland’s brightest sons. A poet of the later 18th century, he was one of the great proponents of romanticism, an inspiration to both the liberalist and socialist movements, and a cultural icon for the Scots. In fact, he’s so renowned in Scotland his life is still celebrated with the “Burns suppers,” typically held on or near the fellow’s birthday–January 25. There are even “Burns clubs” and whole Scottish societies dedicated to the poetry of this literary great.
In honor of these dinners (and the poet), the poem we’re about to share together is one that’s pure Scot, right down to its title: “Address to a Haggis.” Part of the fun will be seeing if you can actually follow all the Scottish dialect he laced his poem with. For those unfamiliar, it’s a tongue that can throw a person about…
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 hurdies 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-reekin, rich!
Then, horn for horn, they strech 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 sconner,
Looks down wi’ sneering, scornfu’ view
On sic a dinner?
Poor devil! see him owre his trash,
As feckless as a wither’d rash,
His spindle shank, a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit;
Thro’ 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 whissle;
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 gratefu’ prayer,
Gie her a Haggis!
~Robert Burns
I love haggis! It is yummy.
We keep that tradition here in France, and my OH declaims all the Address by heart, as well as reams of other Burns poetry. We gave a haggis lunch for some French friends, and before I could translate the poem into French, Jock had to translate it into ‘English’.
The thing I most like about Burns is his de-bunking of hypocrisy and cant – Read Holy Willie’s Prayer: for a self-praising Church Elder, given to fleshly lusts with this and that lassie, yet wrapping them up in sanctimonious claptrap. Burns was often on the penitent’s stool in church, accused of adultery – quite justly, as it happens: he had 15 children, less than half of them with his wife. but he openly acknowledged every one.
Oh, what fun! Who doesn’t have their own version of Robbie Burns day! (Without the haggis…mind you!) No offence to the haggis lovers…really!
Aha! I tend to like Burns’ more lyric poems- focuses on lassies and lads rather than Sheeps’ stomachs. Still fun. K.
was great meeting you today karin…
Same here, Claudia. The story of your poetry writing is tremendously inspiring. Thanks so much for making the trek down town. Have a wonderful wonderful visit! k.
Smiles. I’ll go for the celebration without the haggis. But isn’t that the same as (cows) sweetbreads? I won’t eat them either.
This is a wonderful article … but I need a bit of help with my “brogue.”
smiles…had haggis once with a friend…he was celebrating and could find no one to eat it with him….i will try anything once you know…wasnt so bad…interesting bit of food poetry eh?
I love everything Scottish – except Haggis…Went to one Bobby Burns dinner – quit an interesting event… did not have to order a drink because everything was served in Whiskey…Oh Scotland….I do love ye…bkm
this is way cool…and just yesterday i saw a statue of him in Central Park..
I’ve had haggis. My wife read the address and did ritual carving. Delicious!
Like many/most poets, most of Burns work is largely unknown today, which is a shame. As well as poems, he wrote many songs, and – as Holy Willie’s Prayer demonstrates – he wasn’t averse to having a pop at the establishment who, in their turn, were often terribly disapproving of Burns. His song, “Parcel of Rogues” is especially pointed.
Nice to see our Bard featured here.
I love the rythmn of this Burns poem. Haggis may gag-us. I’m sorry, not a fan of the internal sheep. EW, indeed. Melis
I love Burns! And I understood NEARLY every word. 😀