Burns Night

Could not let today pass without a mention of Robert Burns and the remarkable fact that across the world at this time of year the man and his poetry will be celebrated.
Harrogate St Andrew's Society held its Burns Night on Saturday with all the traditional elements included.
Tonight I have been invited by the Guide Company attached to the church to join them for a kind of mini Burns Supper. But I will need to work for my haggis, neeps and tatties by reciting the Selkirk grace and also give the 'address to the haggis'( a shorter version though).
The faults and follies of Burns are well known. But in his young life he did write some remarkable poetry. Is there a better celebration of the worth of the ordinary person than 'A man's a man for a that'? Is there a better love song than 'My love is like a red red rose'? Is there a better expression of that call to battle than 'Scots wha hae wi' Wallace bled'?
Sir Walter Scott said of him - "Long life to thy fame and peace to thy soul, Robert Burns. When I want to express a sentiment which I feel strongly, I find the phrase in Shakespeare or thee...."