A good many people around the world lift a glass in good cheer as they sing a rousing rendition of Robert Burns' Auld Lang Syne in the midnight hour as an optimistic welcome to the New Year and as a sentimental tribute to the Old Year.
But Robert Burns didn't write the poem. Rather, he wrote down the lyrics to an old Scottish folk song and added to it.
According to my sources*, "...Though the history of the authorship of the poem is labyrinthine and disputed, Burns is generally credited with penning at least two original stanzas to the version that is most familiar to revelers of the New Year."
Here are the first two stanzas as Burns recorded them:
Auld Lang Syne by Robert Burns
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!
Chorus.
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne.
We’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne."
So, from me to you, wherever you may be, here is a bagpipe presention of Auld Lang Syne performed by the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.
Until next year,
Kaye
Writing the West one romance upon a time
www.kayespencer.com
[This is my traditional New Year's Eve post.]
*Poems for the New Year - https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/text/poems-new-year
*Robert Burns website - http://www.robertburns.org/
No comments:
Post a Comment