tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post2196468277891956300..comments2024-03-16T07:27:27.752+00:00Comments on Novel Points of View: Robert Burns fever - am I a heretic?Rae Cowiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10213969901991611348noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-65603677303001700472013-01-29T11:10:13.990+00:002013-01-29T11:10:13.990+00:00Well, Gill, the Afghan food would be turnips and p...Well, Gill, the Afghan food would be turnips and potatoes with mutton so you'd have much the same menu with each set of poems! <br />Mary Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14688996930245857265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-60001435488203343602013-01-29T10:20:57.537+00:002013-01-29T10:20:57.537+00:00You're so balanced, Gill! I suppose you're...You're so balanced, Gill! I suppose you're right about keeping Scotland in people's minds - after all, the Irish have no qualms about shamrocks and leprechauns, do they?Jenny Harperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16721428313351462045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-43531946942232293172013-01-29T08:23:25.990+00:002013-01-29T08:23:25.990+00:00Much more a fan of Burns the poet than the man. I...Much more a fan of Burns the poet than the man. I do like the idea of a Mary Smith supper. Come on Mary, you could organise it. Afghan food and poems for one course, the Islay ones for another.<br /><br />I'm not that keen on Burns suppers for myself but like Linda I do think they keep an idea of 'Scotland' in people's minds all over the world. We just need to enlarge on that idea a bit...Gill Stewarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03139563775181908912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-33255519884723933362013-01-28T22:44:29.899+00:002013-01-28T22:44:29.899+00:00Love it! I think we would 'thole' your ver...Love it! I think we would 'thole' your verse, Janette.<br /><br />Well, you organise the musical extravaganza, and I'll be there...<br /><br />Thanks for contributing!Jenny Harperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16721428313351462045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-73543584089109892672013-01-28T19:40:10.923+00:002013-01-28T19:40:10.923+00:00I said it with the greatest respect, Jenny....it i...I said it with the greatest respect, Jenny....it is the uniqueness of Scotland that we Sassanachs admire....honestly.Linda Mitchelmorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10948518126405880012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-81237502284014926672013-01-28T18:29:11.416+00:002013-01-28T18:29:11.416+00:00Interesting points but why not let the thousands w...Interesting points but why not let the thousands who so enjoy the ritual and tradition get on with it, and anybody else is free to host an alternative one, though so few do. Personally if I had the time, energy and inclination I'd organise a Burns musical improvisation outside Burns Cottage, hold a huge musical extravaganza based on his verse and music, outside the Burns Centre or in St Michaels Kirkyard Dumfries, or a meditation based on nature at Ellisland. But as I am 'Fair furfochten, wabbit, sair -----A'll dream an' fantasise nae mair----- Fur Rabbie wad be roon the pole --- Ma silly verse he wadnae thole'. Joan Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10252948312102588848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-30759529078171303332013-01-28T16:57:27.996+00:002013-01-28T16:57:27.996+00:00It would be great to look more at other Scottish p...It would be great to look more at other Scottish poets, whether past or present. I'm a great fan of Norman McCaig's work, for example. But do we have to have supper with it? Oh go on then – but maybe not haggis... A great bowl of Cullen Skink would do me just fine. <br /><br />You've prompted me to look at Lady Nairne. I'm not familiar with her poetry. Thanks for dropping in and contributing.Jenny Harperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16721428313351462045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-16920875683552529412013-01-28T16:53:02.764+00:002013-01-28T16:53:02.764+00:00Yes, using Burns as a springboard for celebrating ...Yes, using Burns as a springboard for celebrating other poetry would be good, even if the Bard is still the main focus. I vote for a Mary Smith Supper!<br /><br />Thanks Mary.Jenny Harperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16721428313351462045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-78398556968680669122013-01-28T15:31:43.319+00:002013-01-28T15:31:43.319+00:00Really? How odd....maybe I hit the publish button ...Really? How odd....maybe I hit the publish button twice....soooorrrreeeeee.Linda Mitchelmorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10948518126405880012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-294909165765212002013-01-28T14:51:49.380+00:002013-01-28T14:51:49.380+00:00No problem with celebrating Burns, but it would be...No problem with celebrating Burns, but it would be good to have suppers for other writers every 10 years or so - Dunbar, Henryson, or Lady Nairne, whose songs are rooted in the Scottish psyche (and easily mistaken for those of Burns).Donald Adamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08061022723079270191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-62825949655657405352013-01-28T14:43:23.763+00:002013-01-28T14:43:23.763+00:00A thought-provoking post, Jenny. I read it last ni...A thought-provoking post, Jenny. I read it last night and am still thinking about my response. If we did away with Burns suppers would Burns and his work be forgotten in time? As you point out we don't celebrate a Shakespeare Day but then his work is performed all year round in all sorts of places all over the world, not confined to a few days either side of January 25th as is the case with Burns. Dumfries has just had its Big Burns Supper Festival, a weekend of amazing events, by no means all related to the Bard and his work and maybe we need more of that sort of thing and less of the traditional time-warp ritual. And I do think we should eat those bags of offal all year round! Mary Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14688996930245857265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-65848298342653726762013-01-28T11:51:20.630+00:002013-01-28T11:51:20.630+00:00Yes, Jenny - I think you've put your finger on...Yes, Jenny - I think you've put your finger on my reservations about it.Jo Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12976757854217324838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-70671080095846202572013-01-28T11:45:11.378+00:002013-01-28T11:45:11.378+00:00Linda said, 'They're Scotland to the rest ...Linda said, 'They're Scotland to the rest of the world.' What I worry about is - is this how I'd like the rest of the world to see Scotland? Stuck in some sort of time warp with a bag full of offal and formulaic, male-dominated rituals? I'm really not sure...<br /><br />Thans for dropping by, Rosemary.Jenny Harperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16721428313351462045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-86260959628572312852013-01-28T11:31:54.628+00:002013-01-28T11:31:54.628+00:00Great post, Jenny. I have no objections to the Sup...Great post, Jenny. I have no objections to the Suppers as I do think they keep the memory alive all over the world, but I expect they vary in quality. Does Burns need them? Now you're asking and I don't know the answer - perhaps. I certainly find much of his poetry as memorable as Shakepeare's - and there's no doubt the man himself was interesting!Rosemary Gemmellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09311840205603508422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-73430951704406258322013-01-27T18:08:19.376+00:002013-01-27T18:08:19.376+00:00Er,well, I wouldn't know about the all-male ve...Er,well, I wouldn't know about the all-male version (though I've heard reports). Yes - hard to survive as a national treasure in today's media-bitchy environment!Jenny Harperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16721428313351462045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-5044742621667717972013-01-27T17:56:05.871+00:002013-01-27T17:56:05.871+00:00Ah, Jenny - you touched a chord! I'm not a fan...Ah, Jenny - you touched a chord! I'm not a fan. I think they can be misogynistic - I still hear people going on about how wonderful an all-male Burns Supper is. Not sure about that.<br /><br />I'm not a fan of Burns the man, either, so I think we get a little dewy-eyed about him. If eh lived today I suspect we'd be tearing him apart with our disapproval, for one reason if not another. <br />Jo Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12976757854217324838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-28533363206521481522013-01-27T17:44:16.081+00:002013-01-27T17:44:16.081+00:00I deleted this because it was duplicated Linda!
I deleted this because it was duplicated Linda!<br />Jenny Harperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16721428313351462045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-40600027928520223472013-01-27T17:43:46.551+00:002013-01-27T17:43:46.551+00:00I suppose it's a kind of brand identity... As ...I suppose it's a kind of brand identity... As I said, what WOULD Burns have thought about that?Jenny Harperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16721428313351462045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-62887215907278471532013-01-27T17:39:33.804+00:002013-01-27T17:39:33.804+00:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Linda Mitchelmorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10948518126405880012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3855283511538601375.post-86038784947469912292013-01-27T17:39:15.547+00:002013-01-27T17:39:15.547+00:00You can't ditch the suppers! They're Scotl...You can't ditch the suppers! They're Scotland to the rest of the world, Jenny. I have fond memories of said suppers at the home of one of my husband's cousins whose wife is Scottish. Roll up the carpet time.....get the dancing going faster as the hooch goes down! Nights like that were poetry all their own....:)<br />Great post...:)Linda Mitchelmorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10948518126405880012noreply@blogger.com