Scotch spirit not only warms, it burns
by
Howard
Richler
January 25th
marks Robert Burns Day and will be commemorated by Scots world-wide
(and Scot wannabes) whether they are enjoying a hearty McEwan’s ale
or a McCallum single-malt scotch and,alas, even if they are
stone-sober. Robert was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, on January 25,
1759 to William Burness, a poor tenant farmer, and Agnes Broun. He
was the eldest of seven and spent his youth working his father's farm
but in spite of the family’s meager
means, William Burness engaged a tutor for his precocious son
Robert At 15, Robert was the principal worker on the farm and this
prompted him to start writing in an attempt to find “some kind of
counterpoise for his circumstances.” It was at this tender age that
Burns penned his first verse, “My Handsome Nell” which was an ode
to the muses of his life, namely whisky and women.
By Burns’ lifetime the
ancient Celtic language of the Scots had been reduced to a mere
dialect and Burns took it upon himself to resurrect Scots to its
halcyon level of yesteryear. Many of Burns’ finest poems are
composed, at least partially, in Scots and he thus helped
re-validate the ancient tongue of his
forefathers.
The last years of
Burns' life were devoted to penning some poems such as A
Red, Red Rose,
Sweet Afton and Tam
O'Shanter. He
died when only thirty seven, of a heart disease perhaps exacerbated
by the arduous manual work he undertook when he was young. Here are
some of the opening stanzas from Burns’ masterpiece Tam
O’Shanter (with translation notes for Scots
and archaic English ):
And drouthy (thirsty) neebors meet;
As market-days are wearing late,
An folk begin to tak the gate;
While we sit bousing (boozing) at the nappy (strong ale),
An getting fou (full-drunk) and unco (very) happy,
We think na on the lang (long) Scots miles,
The mosses, waters, slaps (gates), and styles,
That lie between us and our hame (home),
Whare sits our sulky, sullen dame,
Gathering her brows like gathering storm,
Nursing her wrath to keep it warm.
This truth fand (found) honest Tam o Shanter,
As he frae (from) Ayr ae (one) night did canter:
Auld Ayr, wham (whom) ne'er a town surpasses,
For honest men and bonie lasses).
O Tam had'st thou but been sae (so) wise,
As taen (taken) thy ain (own) wife Kate's advice!
She tauld thee weel (well) thou was a skellum (scamp),
A blethering, blustering, drunken blellum (babbler);
That frae November till October, Ae market-day thou was nae sober;
That ilka (every) melder (amount of grain to be ground) wi the miller,
Thou sat as lang as thou had siller (silver/money);
That ev'ry naig (nag/horse) was ca'd (driven) a shoe on,
The smith and thee gat roarin fou on;
That at the Lord's house, even on Sundav,
Thou drank wi Kirkton Jean till Monday.
She prophesied that, late or soon,
Thou would be found, deep drown'd in Doon,
Or catch'd wi warlocks in the mirk,
By Alloway's auld,haunted kirk(church).
Ah, gentle dames, it gars (compels) me greet (weep),
To think how monie (many) counsels sweet,
How monie lengthen'd, sage advices
The husband frae the wife despises!
Burns’ simple yet eloquently evocative verse, with its celebration of life, speaks to people everywhere. So let’s all raise a glass in honour of Robert Burns.
Personally, though, I’ll forgo the haggis.
hrichler@gmail.com
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