Robbie Burns Poems

For the past couple of weeks we have been working on poems inspired by the life and work of Robbie Burns. Prompted in part by a competition run by the library and the Dunedin Burns Club as part of our City of Literature programme. Not everyone will enter their poems but it has been an interesting challenge. The first two poems relate to Robbie and the last was from an exercise to write a poem describing something in detail (in 5 minutes or less!).



THE RIVER

Tho' I loved you dressed in pink
I couldn't believe we fell in the drink
Even tho' you were dressed in beige
I never thought we would be engaged
Tho' the river was swift and strong
I always believed that we belonged
You tried so hard to be my wife
But you couldn't swim to save my life
Now I'm gone, my life cut short
Please still wear the ring I bought

- Haki Davis



ROBBIE BURNS

Wha' hae to ye, Robbie
we'll drain a wee bit dram
the finest whiskey in the land
fit for the gills o' the bishop
sitting in St Paul's
and looking o'er the image
o' the man that scandalised yon Presbyterians
wi' his women and wine
they'd ha' none o' him near First Church
wi' his respectable nephew as minister

I love to sit by the banks of the Leith
and dream of Scotland's brownish heath
and read of Robbie's sinful ways
atoning for his passionate lays.

- Helen Ledger



WRITER'S BLOCK

You sit so still
Upon your seat
Pen in hand
Birds at your feet

Inspiration is at hand
You see a pretty lady pass
Oh if only you could lie
Together on the grass

And a sip of whiskey
Would not go amiss
What more could he want?
Perhaps a wee kiss

Dreams are free
So the saying goes
So keep on dreaming
Until the rooster crows

- Paul Smith




THE SHOOTING STAR

High in the sky, burning in the sky
Green, blue, yellow and bright
Travelling to Black Jack's point in the night

- Haki Davis