Today the Scottish celebrate the birth of their national poet, Robert Burns. The holiday is traditionally celebrated with public readings of To a Haggis (a much tastier food that many imagine). Given Eric’s reverence for mice, I thought Burns’ famous mouse poem — from which we get the admonition about “the best laid plans of mice and men” — more appropriate. – amanda
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!
So utterly beautiful! Who hasn’t felt sorry for stepping on an ant, or killing a cockroach? But to put it to such breathtaking poetry!
Thank you!
glad you appreciate it, len. if you can get through the scottish, the poet’s humane sense of equality with the mouse seems to echo much that yeti and others have brought up in this forum
Amanda: thank you, this is a wonderful service and a fitting tribute.
Mr. Burns: Ever-where you are, thank you for setting such a fine example and for leaving us with so much before moving on. Your earthly existence continues in the un-counted hearts and souls of those who have been touched by your words.
And so – we call on Skunk for protection. Man and beast both give her a wide berth, perhaps with the exception of a dog’s first encounter.