For this post I want to talk about another art-form, namely poetry and I am going to unashamedly wrap myself in tartan (plaid for Americans), because January 25th is the birthday of Robert Burns, Scotland’s national poet.
He was born in Alloway in 1759 and died in Dumfries in 1796 at the age of 37.
In that short life he not only wrote poetry in Scots and English but he gathered and preserved traditional songs and ballads, the most well known being “Auld Lang Syne”.
As Scots continued to spread throughout the world they took with them many of the egalitarian ideas expressed in his works, and set-up societies to commemorate his life and works, until his name and fame encompassed the globe. What would he have thought of the fact that at the height of the cold war his birthday was celebrated both here in the USA, and in the Soviet Union, with both sides thinking they embodied his egalitarian ideals.
But what of his works?
For many one of the great love songs is, “My love like a red, red rose”, which is a traditional Scots songs preserved by Burns.
This is for Juliet
"My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose"
O my Luve's like a red, red rose
That’s newly sprung in June;
O my Luve's like the melodie
That’s sweetly play'd in tune.
As fair art thou, my bonnie lass,
So deep in luve am I:
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
Till a’ the seas gang dry:
Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi’ the sun:
I will luve thee still, my dear,
While the sands o’ life shall run.
And fare thee weel, my only Luve
And fare thee weel, a while!
And I will come again, my Luve,
Tho’ it were ten thousand mile.
In the narrative poem “Tam o' Shanter”, Burns tells a cautionary tale of intemperance and other social ills. However, it has to be said that he was not exactly an example of moral rectitude, and had an over fondness for a “wee dram”, and the ladies, but he may have been acknowledging his earlier faults
The poem is written in a blend of Scots and English, and for me one of the English verses is a most beautiful expression of how fleeting life is.
But pleasures are like poppies spread,
You seize the flow'r, its bloom is shed;
Or like the snow falls in the river,
A moment white-then melts for ever;
Or like the Borealis race,
That flit ere you can point their place;
Or like the Rainbow's lovely form
Evanishing amid the storm. -
Nae man can tether Time nor Tide,
The hour approaches Tam maun ride;
Many familiar phrases have their origin in the works of Burns, for example we have all heard of:
Man's inhumanity to man
Makes countless thousands mourn!
Or, the warning that:
The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men
Gang aft agley,
An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,
For promis’d joy!
Or, bringing ourselves to account:
O wad some Pow’r the giftie gie us
To see oursels as others see us!
It wad frae mony a blunder free us,
An’ foolish notion:
But what right thinking person would not be moved by the final verse of “A Man’s a Man for A’ That”.
Then let us pray that come it may,
(As come it will for a’ that,)
That Sense and Worth, o’er a’ the earth,
Shall bear the gree, an’ a’ that.
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
It’s coming yet for a’ that,
That Man to Man, the world o’er,
Shall brothers be for a’ that.
If you would like to learn more about Burns and his work go to the “Burns’ Country”
http://www.robertburns.org/A recent article on the BBC announces a new iPhone app, with the complete works of Robert Burns
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-12239352
Kerri, Samy and Tawa
James and Musatye
Hear the Writings
Once again the folks at Hear the Writings are offering a wonderful study aid. They have just released “The December 28th 2010 Message to the Conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors” , by The Universal House of Justice.
For this post I want to talk about another art-form, namely poetry and I am going to unashamedly wrap myself in tartan (plaid for Americans), because January 25th is the birthday of Robert Burns, Scotland’s national poet.
The poem is written in a blend of Scots and English, and for me one of the English verses is a most beautiful expression of how fleeting life is.
Aniela, one of our tutors had asked if we could come-up with a craft project based on the idea of a shield, as used by Abdul Baha in the opening sentence of his Will and Testament
Materials:
As you will see from the picture there was a lot of talent on display, some people used the templates others custom made their shields. (Azi and Alek made large ones and Azi even “rigged” hers’ so that she could carry it on her back.
After the shields were made and decorated we came together again in the main room and everyone explained their design.
All-praise to Him Who, by the Shield of His Covenant, hath guarded the Temple of His Cause from the darts of doubtfulness, Who by the Hosts of His Testament hath preserved the Sanctuary of His Most Beneficent Law and protected His Straight and Luminous Path, staying thereby the onslaught of the company of Covenant-breakers, that have threatened to subvert His Divine Edifice; Who hath watched over His Mighty Stronghold and All-glorious Faith, through the aid of men whom the slander of the slanderer affects not, whom no earthly calling, glory and power can turn aside from the Covenant of God and His Testament, established firmly by His clear and manifest words, writ and revealed by His All-glorious Pen and recorded in the Preserved Tablet. 
However this post returns to an old standby of ours, the rotating booklets.
Preparation:
On the Day:
This activity is a great ice breaker for an intensive study circle or Bahá’í School, and you can extend the times if you want to increase the social interaction element.
So this year’s resolution is a “no-brainer” - Post much more frequently.
http://ruhicrafts.blogspot.com/2010/12/symmetry.html
September
One time at the Louisiana Bahá’í School, we played a great “quote” game, that was provided and organized by Wandra White, and Dionne Lombard. (Pictured on the right)
The group I was in had a 13 section quote, which was giving us some trouble until someone reached for his “smart phone”. As you can see from the pictures great fun was had by all, but there was also the serious side of studying the writings.
This game will no doubt work better with a larger group but for smaller groups you can keep the section quantity down to 4 or 5.
Happy New Year to all our readers.
We had a fantastic time, and were able to renew our friendship with Diane and Kenny Broussard, as well as meeting many new friends from Louisiana and surrounding states. It was the best conference I have attended, although also the smallest, the warm and loving Louisiana Bahá’ís, just welcomed all the visitors and made everyone feel totally at home.
Karaoke Kenny
We were also able to buy a copy of a new photo book, “Hasten Forth”, by Gigi Alford and her husband Anis Mungapen. There will be a review of the book in a later post.
Louisiana Cypress Bahá’í School: 2010.
