graces & toasts Archives - Scottish Poetry Library

Here’s a health to them that’s awa - by Robert Burns

{ Poem }

Here’s freedom to them that wad read,
Here’s freedom to them that wad write!
There’s nane ever fear’d that the truth should be heard,
But they whom the truth would indite.

Let Me Not - by Pauline Prior-Pitt

{ Poem }

Let me not be tempted
/ to talk incessantly about my illnesses;
/ the love of rehearsing them has become too sweet.
/
/ And more…

It’s been - by Gael Turnbull

{ Poem }

It’s been a long time
all the time we’ve spent
and we’ve had such times

Avoiding the gods - by Ian Abbot

{ Poem }

They have come
/ to scald our blood, to call us out
/ from our bright houses to the twisted shadows under trees.
/ Let us…

Address to a Haggis - by Robert Burns

{ Poem }

Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face,
/ Great Chieftain o’ the Puddin-race!
/ Aboon them a’ ye tak your place,
/ …

Scotland to Queensland, Glasgow to Gold Coast - by Liz Lochhead

{ Poem }

The good ship Friendship sails between Glasgow / And your far, your golden, coast. / May fierce friendship forever flourish…

Clan Donald’s Call to Battle At Harlaw - by Robert Crawford

{ Poem }

after the Gaelic of Lachlann Mor MacMhuirich (fl. 1411)
/
/ You Clann of Conn, remember this:
/ Strength from the eye of the storm.
/ Be…

Lines for a Bookmark - by Gael Turnbull

{ Poem }

You who read…
/ May you seek
/ As you look;
/ May you keep
/ What you need;
/ May you care
/ What you choose;
/ And know here
/ In this book
/ Something strange,
/ Something…

Beannacht / Blessing - by John O’Donohue

{ Poem }

May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
may the clarity of light be yours,
may the fluency of the ocean be yours,
may the protection of the ancestors be yours.

Rabbie, Rabbie, Burning Bright - by W. N. Herbert

{ Poem }

Fae dregs o Daft Deys debt comes hame
and we gaither in depression’s wame
aa duty-crossed –
but Burns’s birthday is a flame
set tae Defrost.

To The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (1505-2005) - by Stewart Conn

{ Poem }

A Welcome
/
/ Sons and daughters of Aesculapius
/ from Doctor & Prof to Mr & Ms,
/ we the citizenry of Auld Reekie
/ celebrate your Quincentenary;
/ James…

The Original (Selkirk) and the Alternative Grace - by Richard Medrington

{ Poem }

with apologies
/
/ Some hae meat and canna eat
/ And some wad eat that want it:
/ But we hae meat and we can eat,
/ And…

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