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Address To A Haggis - Robert Burns - 23rd Jan 2010

January 23, 2010
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 o' 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 you up wi' ready sleight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like ony ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin, rich!

Then, horn for horn, 
they stretch an' strive:
Deil tak the hindmost! on they drive,
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve,
Are bent lyke 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 ower his trash,
As feckless as a wither'd rash,
His spindle shank, a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit;
Thro' bloody 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 mak 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!

The Translation

Fair is your honest happy face
Great chieftain of the pudding race
Above them all you take your place
Stomach, tripe or guts
Well are you worthy of a grace
As long as my arm

The groaning platter there you fill
Your buttocks like a distant hill
Your skewer would help to repair a mill
In time of need
While through your pores the juices emerge
Like amber beads

His knife having seen hard labour wipes
And cuts you up with great skill
Digging into your gushing insides bright
Like any ditch
And then oh what a glorious sight
Warm steaming, rich 

Then spoon for spoon 
They stretch and strive
Devil take the last man, on they drive
Until all their well swollen bellies
Are bent like drums
Then, the old gent most likely to rift (burp)
Be thanked, mumbles

Is there that over his French Ragout
Or olio that would sicken a pig
Or fricassee would make her vomit
With perfect disgust
Looks down with a sneering scornful opinion
On such a dinner

Poor devil, see him over his trash
As week as a withered rush (reed)
His spindle-shank a good whiplash
His clenched fist.the size of a nut.
Through a bloody flood and battle field to dash
Oh how unfit

But take note of the strong haggis fed Scot
The trembling earth resounds his tread
Clasped in his large fist a blade
He'll make it whistle
And legs and arms and heads he will cut off
Like the tops of thistles

You powers who make mankind your care
And dish them out their meals
Old Scotland wants no watery food
That splashes in dishes
But if you wish her grateful prayer
Give her a haggis! 

 

Not Long Now Till Burns Night....and Supper!

January 20, 2010


A Burns supper is a celebration of the life and poetry of the poet Robert Burns, author of many Scots poems including "Auld Lang Syne" ," which is generally sung as a folk song at Hogmany and other New Year celebrations around the world. The suppers are normally held on or near the poet's birthday, 25 January, sometimes also known as Robert Burns Day or Burns Night (Burns Nicht), although they may in principle be held at any time of the year.

Burns suppers are most common in Scotland , but t...


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Merry Christmas One and All !

December 23, 2009

It's that time of year again and independent of one's beliefs I wish you all a peaceful and happy time of year. It's a time for familes and friends. A time to reflect on the year gone by and to look forward to the New Year. To consider what we have and to spare a thought for those less fortunate. Have a Cool Yule!



Buchaille Etive Beag, Glen Coe, by John MacPherson


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Final Bow

September 1, 2009
Street performer Claire Wedemeyer gives one last wave as she packs up on the final day of the 63rd Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The world's biggest arts festival with 34,000 performances of more than 2000 shows broke all previous records by selling over 1.8 million tickets!


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Norway 4 Scotland 0

August 13, 2009
....and that kinda say's it all !

So......on to happier things......

Archaeologists have uncovered a rare example of a grave that has been kept almost intact for 4000 years.

The burial chamber, which was found in Forteviot, Perthshire, is thought to have been used as the final resting place of a "significant" person, who may have been a community leader or religious figure in the Early Bronze Age.

His grave lay hidden by a four-ton sandstone slab until a crane was used to lift the massive s...


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Tonight's the Night!

August 12, 2009
SCOTLAND'S World Cup dream hangs in the balance but manager George Burley will not be stricken by a fear of failure as he sends out a side alert to the need for a victory tonight in Oslo.......and they better win too!

jings crivvens and help ma'boab!




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World Cup Qualifier......keep your fingers crossed!

August 9, 2009
Scotland play Norway on Wednesday.......

THE SMELL of cut grass, another strip, maybe a new challenge: this time of year brings many things to mind, but the national side is not one of them.
On the shores of Loch Lomond this weekend, Scotland are preparing for a World Cup qualifying match in Oslo, the magnitude of which ought not to be lost in the phoney war that is pre-season.

Their crucial Group 9 clash with Norway has a surreal dimension to it, a bit like a birthday during the festive peri...

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Burns homage in Tattoo programme : BBC

August 6, 2009

The event will also celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Scottish poet Robert Burns.

More than 1,000 performers, featuring a Tongan cultural troupe, Swiss percussionists and Brit Award-winning pipers and drummers will attend.

The tattoo is expected to draw 217,000 people over three weeks from 7 August.

A special Burns homag...


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World Pipe Band Championships 2009

August 4, 2009

Glasgow Green – Saturday 15 August

The biggest and best event in piping is back! Once again, pipe bands from across the globe will descend onto Glasgow Green with one goal - to be World Pipe Band Champions 2009! Welcoming bands from as far afield as Australia, USA, Pakistan and New Zealand, this is the most anticipated musical event on the cultural calendar.


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English Haggis Claim Shocks Scots !

August 3, 2009

Monday, August 3 01:40 pm

Haggis-makers in Scotland have leapt to the defence of the country's signature dish after claims it was first made in England.

 

 
English haggis claim shocks Scots

Food historian Catherine Brown said she found references to the dish in a book called The English Hus-Wife, dated 1615.

But she said the first mention she could find of Scottish haggis was in 1747.

Ms Brown said the book indicates that haggis was first eaten in England and subseque...


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