Robert Burns

(25 January 1759 21 July 1796) Robert Burns was also known as Rabbie Burns, Scotland's favourite son, the Ploughman Poet, Robden of Solway Firth, the Bard of Ayrshire and in Scotland as simply The Bard. He was a scottish poet and lyricist, he is widely regarded as the national poet of Scottland. He is the best known of the poets who have written in Scotts language although much of his writing is also in English and a "light" Scots dialect, accessible to an audience beyond Scotland. He also wrote in standard English, and in these his political or civil commentary is often at its most blunt. He is regarded as a pioneer of the Romantic movement, and after his death he became a great source of inspiration to the founders of both liberalism andsocialism. A cultural icon in Scotland and among the Scottish Diaspora around the world, celebration of his life and work became almost a nationalcharismatic cult during the 19th and 20th centuries, and his influence has long been strong on Scottish literature. As well as making original compositions, Burns also collected folk songs from across Scotland, often revising or adapting them. His poem (and song) Auld Lang Syne is often sung at Hogmanay (the last day of the year), and Scots Wha Hae served for a long time as an unofficial national anthem of the country. Literary style The style of Burns is marked by spontaneity, directness, and sincerity, and his variety ranges from the tender intensity of some of his lyrics through the rollicking humour and blazing wit of Tam o' Shanter to the blistering satire of Holy Willie's Prayer and The Holy Fair. Burns was skilled in writing not only in the Scots language but also in the Scottish English dialect of the English language. Some of his works, such as Love and Liberty (also known as The Jolly Beggars), are written in both Scots and English for various effects.

"Auld Lang Syne" (Scots pronunciation: [ld lsin]: note "s" rather than "z") is a Scots poem written by Robert Burns in 1788 and set to the tune of a traditional folk song. It is well known in many countries, especially (but far from exclusively) in the English-speaking world; its traditional use being to celebrate the start of the New Year at the stroke of midnight. By extension, it is also sung at funerals, graduations, and as a farewell or ending to other occasions. The international Boy Scout youth movement, in many countries, uses it as a close tojamborees and other functions. The song's Scots title may be translated into English literally as "old long since", or more idiomatically, "long long ago", "days gone by" or "old times". Consequently "For auld lang syne", as it appears in the first line of the chorus, is loosely translated as "for (the sake of) old times". The phrase "Auld Lang Syne" is also used in similar poems by Robert Ayton (15701638), Allan Ramsay (1686 1757), and James Watson (1711) as well as older folk songs predating Burns. Matthew Fitt uses the phrase "In the days of auld lang syne" as the equivalent of "Once upon a time..." in his retelling of fairy tales in the Scots language.
A Tale
"Tam o' Shanter" is a poem written by the Scottish poet Robert Burns in 1790. Many consider it to be one of the best examples of the narrative poem in modern European literature.

Tam o'Shanter is Burns most sustained single poetic effort, as well as the only example among his poems of this kind of narrative poetry. It was written at a time when he was beset with all kinds difficulties and worries, after a spell of scanty production and it showed him to be a master of verse narrative as no Scots poet had been since the fifteenth century. The speed and verve of the narration, fine, flexible use of the octosyllabic couplet, the effective handling of the verse paragraph demonstrate a degree of craftsmanship that few other users of this verse form have achieved.
The Poem
The range of style and diction employed by Burns enables a nearly cinematographic portrayal of Tam's tale. The narrator can both comment on Tam's story from afar and zoom in to see the action through Tam's eyes as he relays the tale to all of us who may 'sit bousing at the nappy'. As he gets caught up in the tale, the pace increases and the language becomes more infiltrated with Scots. His moralising on the temporality of pleasures (i.e. boozing and flirting) is left in the dust as he himself is caught up in the hedonistic diabolical encounter. After a long day of overindulgence, Tam makes his way home from Ayr through a roaring storm. Upon passing KirkAlloway, he sees an 'unco sight' - witches and warlocks dancing to the Devil's piping song. Tam gaps with wonder at the filthy underbelly of civilisation: the bones, bodies, and weapons of murderers and thieves are laid upon a table alight with the candles of the dead. Such sights should sicken him, but instead of turning away, he looks on and spies a buxom young witch whose scanty underclothes and vigorous dancing excite him to a fevered pitch. His ejaculatory 'Weel-done, Cutty-Sark!' inspires the dramatic chase to the brig. Tam has transgressed the divide between this, the civilised world of decorum, and the other world of forbidden desires. And what is the consequence? Does he drown in the Doon as his wife Kate prophesied? No, his poor mare Meg loses her tail! Tam's avoidance of all serious consequence negates the moralising coda. Boozing and wenching, in direct contrast to the Protestant ideals of Burns's community, seem to in fact be held up as imaginative catalysts, albeit, dangerous ones.