Today we celebrate Robert Burns, the national poet of Scotland. Not many people seem to know (I sure didn't), but this is the man who brought us Auld Lang Syne which I am sure you have heard at least once or twice around New Year's Eve. Not only did he write a lot of great poetry and song lyrics, he has also been a big influence to the Socialist movement.
Since I am going to a proper Burn's Supper with haggis and everything on Saturday (damn, I look hot in a kilt), I did some reading up on the subject. Haggis is something I have wanted to try for years and I must say I like the ritualistic traditions surrounding this event.
So tonight, in celebration of Robert Burns before I sit down to eat my supper, the Selkirk Grace:
Some hae meat and canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it.
But we hae meat and we can eat,
Sae let the Lord be thankit.
Lovely. Hear it on this audio recording (Real Player) of Selkirk Grace, read in Scots, that I found at the Beeb web site last night but is now gone (they have redesigned the Burn's Supper section and for some reason not included this lovely recording, luckily I found it in my browser cache). I think I will make it a tradition to read that before digging into every big traditional meal I cook from here on in.
