Every year, I like to celebrate Robert Burns with a Burns Supper. It is a nice way to break up the first few weeks of the year and a chance to listen to some great poetry and music.
Robert Burns is a famous Scottish poet and lyricist, also known as the national poet of Scotland. He is widely regarded as the greatest poet that Scotland has produced, and is celebrated worldwide. He is famous for his poems and songs, many of which continue to be popular today, such as “Auld Lang Syne” and “To a Mouse.” Burns was also a major figure in the Romantic movement, and his work was a major influence on later poets, including William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. He lived from 1759 to 1796.
Burns Supper is an annual event that takes place on or around January 25th to celebrate the life and work of Robert Burns. The event typically includes a traditional meal, whisky, and speeches, as well as the recitation of Burns’ poetry and the singing of his songs. The main focus of the event is the Burns supper, which typically includes haggis, neeps, and tatties (mashed turnips and potatoes). The meal is usually followed by a series of speeches, including the “Immortal Memory” speech, which is a tribute to Burns and his work, and the “Toast to the Lassies”, in which men traditionally toast the women in attendance. The event is also marked by the recitation of one of Burns’ most famous poems, “Address to a Haggis”.
Usually, I make a vegetarian haggis, as it is impossible to get real Scottish haggis here in the United States. However this year I went a step further and made a vegan haggis, mashed potatoes, and cranachan.
Burns Suppers are celebrated by many people around the world, but they are particularly popular in Scotland, where they are seen as a way to celebrate the country’s heritage and culture. The tradition of Burns Supper began in the 19th century and has been growing in popularity ever since. They are celebrated by many societies, groups, and individuals.
The event is also marked by the raising of a glass of whisky, which is a traditional Scottish drink, as a toast to Robert Burns and his memory.
Phrase of the Day:
One famous epigram by Robert Burns is:
“The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men Gang aft agley”
This epigram is from Burns’ poem “To a Mouse” and it means that the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry, which suggests that things often don’t turn out as we expect them to. This phrase has become a popular idiom in modern English, used to express the idea that life is unpredictable and that things can change unexpectedly. The poem itself is written in a conversational tone, where the speaker is talking to a mouse, the mouse’s nest that the speaker had accidentally destroyed. The epigram is the end of the first stanza and encapsulates the theme of the poem.