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January 25, 2004
To A Mouse - Burns
In honour of the occasion and a wee dram or two, I figured you lot could do with some education. Here is one of my favourites:
To A Mouse, On Turning Her Up In Her Nest With The Plough
Wee, sleekit, cow'rin, tim'rous beastie,
O, what a panic's in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty,
Wi' bickering brattle!
I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee,
Wi' murd'ring pattle!
I'm truly sorry man's dominion,
Has broken nature's social union,
An' justifies that ill opinion,
Which makes thee startle
At me, thy poor, earth-born companion,
An' fellow-mortal!
I doubt na, whiles, but thou may thieve;
What then? poor beastie, thou maun live!
A daimen icker in a thrave
'S a sma' request;
I'll get a blessin wi' the lave,
An' never miss't!
Thy wee bit housie, too, in ruin!
It's silly wa's the win's are strewin!
An' naething, now, to big a new ane,
O' foggage green!
An' bleak December's winds ensuin,
Baith snell an' keen!
Thou saw the fields laid bare an' waste,
An' weary winter comin fast,
An' cozie here, beneath the blast,
Thou thought to dwell-
Till crash! the cruel coulter past
Out thro' thy cell.
That wee bit heap o' leaves an' stibble,
Has cost thee mony a weary nibble!
Now thou's turn'd out, for a' thy trouble,
But house or hald,
To thole the winter's sleety dribble,
An' cranreuch cauld!
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!
This poem of course inspired the title of Steinbeck's "Mice and Men" and also led to the English saying "the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray" - sounds better in the original.
Posted by Ozguru at January 25, 2004 10:01 PM
Comments
Linked to Burns' Night at The Gray Monk.
Posted by: The Gray Monk at January 25, 2004 10:01 PM
Burns' Night
I could hardly not acknowledge the celebrations of Burns' Night that have been taking place this weekend. I cannot, however, quote the poetry of Burns' as Ozguru can so I shall merely suggest that you pay his site a visit...
Posted by: The Gray Monk at January 25, 2004 10:01 PM
Burns' Night
I could hardly not acknowledge the celebrations of Burns' Night that have been taking place this weekend. I cannot, however, quote the poetry of Burns' as Ozguru can so I shall merely suggest that you pay his site a visit...
Posted by: The Gray Monk at January 25, 2004 10:01 PM
Burns' Night
I could hardly not acknowledge the celebrations of Burns' Night that have been taking place this weekend. I cannot, however, quote the poetry of Burns' as Ozguru can so I shall merely suggest that you pay his site a visit...
Posted by: The Gray Monk at January 25, 2004 10:01 PM
Burns' Night
I could hardly not acknowledge the celebrations of Burns' Night that have been taking place this weekend. I cannot, however, quote the poetry of Burns' as Ozguru can so I shall merely suggest that you pay his site a visit...
Posted by: The Gray Monk at January 25, 2004 10:01 PM
