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Poems vs the state
• THANKS for your review of Andrew O’Hagan’s book on Burns (The secret firebrand in Burns, January 25).
I am an ex-member of the Robert Burns Club of London, number 1 on the Federation roll. It basically is an exclusive club for a host of diluted Scots – lawyers, bankers, accountants, auditors, police, businessmen and City gents. You are unlikely to find the common man.
Speeches to the Immortal Memory are inexhaustible and usually avoid controversial issues. In my opinion they are hypocrites to the spirit of Rabbie.
As wee boys (and girls) we had an hour of the Bible and an hour of Burns every day and that from a beloved teacher, Miss Duncan, a Jewish lady turned Jehovah’s Witness and our neighbour in the village.
My father was a railwayman, local councillor, lay preacher, public orator and rebel with a cause, for justice.
“O wad some Power the gift tae gie us, to see oursels as ithers see us,” was a belief both held.
Analysts can read Burns’ works for ever, but, unless born and brought up in the emotions of his verse and song, cannot truly reach the true depths of his utterances.
If Burns was alive today, he would have a field day, although he would probably be arrested for “poems against the state”.
Burns had only one platonic friendship, that with Agnes Maclehose. Many of the greatest love letters ever written were from him as Sylvander to her as Clarinda.
“Ae fond kiss and then we sever, Ae farewell, alas, for ever” are words that tell of broken hearts and the deepest of human emotions.
David Craig
Hilldrop Road, N7
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