Poetry Events ~ RhymeWeld at our Poetry Cafe

'Wee, sleekit, cow'rin, tim'rous beastie ...' 1785, Robert Burns

We tried something a little different at our monthly Poetry Cafe in Arlington's last night, namely a RhymeWeld (some felt it should be a RhymeMeld).

A reader began by reading the title of a short poem followed by the poem and a moment's pause. The next person in the circle followed suit and so on, allowing the poems to form part of a much larger poem cycle.

The experiment made us realise that it was quite hard to restrain ourselves from jumping in with our usual comments and questions the moment a poem was over. It also made us think that when we try this again, we will go a little more with the flow, inviting any poet in the room to follow on if he or she feels the piece has a connection to what has gone immediately before. Will this make for more or less spontaneity and will this method enhance that feeling of creating something new in a unified way?

The exercise reminded me of starry winter nights in days gone by when our ancestors told tales around the fire. I read my poem The Ceilidh House in the RhymeWeld.

We returned to our normal procedure for the second half, and since Burns' Night will have come and gone by our February gathering, I read my poem called 'The Mouse Replies' in which I imagine what the wee, sleekit, cow'rin, tim'rous beastie might have said to the poet.

Poetic People: Rabbie Burns

'My heart's in the Highlands ...'

The photo above was taken some twenty-eight years ago on my first visit to the wonderfully bleak and majestic landscape of the Scottish Highlands.  

25 January is known as Burns' Night, and there will be many gatherings, complete with poetry and a haggis, in honour of the poet, Robert Burns (aka Rabbie), who lived from 1759 to 1796.

The link below the top photo will take you to a well-known and much loved song by Burns. It was written in 1789, but has become particularly cherished in the light of the emigration that ensued once the Clearances began.

Some of my Scottish ancestors, who hailed from the area around Kingussie and Newtonmore, might well have lived in homes like the blackhouse below, prior to their emigration to Australia.

Speaking of things Scottish, you can read my poem about Loch Coruisk (on the Isle of Skye) here - and you might like to create a poem with the Rabbie Burns Rhyme Generator here!

Happy Burns' Night to all.

Baile Gean, Highland Folk Museum, Newtonmore, set up by Isabel Grant

Language & Linguistics (1): Burns Night in Japan

Burns aficionados in Japan are preparing to celebrate a late Burns Night in the traditional manner, thanks to a new translation of the poems in the Japanese language.

• Prince Charles reads Burns' poems (UK) The Daily Telegraph