Burns Day
Jan 30th, 2005
Happy Birthday Robert Burns! Burns birthday is usually celebrated on the 25th of January, but I see nothing wrong with moving it to a weekend for the convenience of revellers; so this evening I went to a nice rousing Burns day party and ate and drank and read poems. I did 'To a Mouse' for my main contribution; here's the clincher of that fine lyric:
But, Mousie, thou art no thy lane,
In proving foresight may be vain;
The best-laid schemes o' mice an 'men
Gang aft agley,
An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,
For promis'd joy!Still thou art blest, compar'd wi' me
The present only toucheth thee:
But, Och! I backward cast my e'e.
On prospects drear!
An' forward, tho' I canna see,
I guess an' fear!