Let’s briefly visit two more poems. One is the last two verses of To a Louse.\u00a0 In the poem, Burns is sitting in church behind a well-dressed young lady when all of a sudden he sees a single louse clambering up her garment.\u00a0 The poem goes over how strange to see such a repulsive creature in such a fine place, not what you’d expect.\u00a0 Then, the last two verses, while not about hypocrisy directly like the first two poems, touches exactly on the difference between appearance and reality.<\/p>\n
O Jeany, dinna<\/a> toss<\/a> your head, O wad some Power the giftie<\/a> gie<\/a> us <\/p>\n Would some power the giftie gie us, indeed.\u00a0 Guarding against hypocrisy shouldn’t have to be done by some clever poet, but should come from within.<\/p>\n And finally, one I sang at last year’s Burns Supper, For A’ That And A’ That<\/em>.<\/p>\n What though on hamely fare we dine, Ye see yon<\/a> birkie, ca’d a lord, Again, he had no use for so-called lords, as he put it, acting all high and mighty.\u00a0 Why?\u00a0 Strip away pretense and hypocrisy and people are just people, that’s why.\u00a0 What Burns wanted, what he dreamed of, was a world where people were equal and where there would be no need for false fronts or incongruous words and behavior.<\/p>\n Then let us pray that come it may, Let’s briefly visit two more poems. One is the last two verses of To a Louse.\u00a0 In the poem, Burns is sitting in church behind a well-dressed young lady when all of a sudden he sees a single louse clambering … Continue reading
\nAn’ set<\/a> your beauties a’<\/a> abread!
\nYe little ken<\/a> what cursed speed
\nThe blastie’s makin:
\nThae<\/a> winks an’ finger-ends, I dread,
\nAre notice takin.<\/p>\n
\nTo see oursels as ithers see us!
\nIt wad frae<\/a> mony a blunder free us,
\nAn’ foolish notion:
\nWhat airs in dress an’ gait wad<\/a> lea’e us,
\nAn’<\/a> ev’n devotion!<\/p>\n
\nWear hoddin<\/a> grey, an’ a that;
\nGie<\/a> fools their silks, and knaves their wine;
\nA Man’s a Man for a’ that:
\nFor a’ that, and a’ that,
\nTheir tinsel show, an’ a’ that;
\nThe honest man, tho’ e’er<\/a> sae<\/a> poor,
\nIs king o’ men for a’ that.<\/p>\n
\nWha<\/a> struts, an’ stares, an’ a’ that;
\nTho’ hundreds worship at his word,
\nHe’s but a coof<\/a> for a’ that:
\nFor a’ that, an’ a’ that,
\nHis ribband, star, an’ a’ that:
\nThe man o’ independent mind<\/a>
\nHe looks an’ laughs at a’ that.<\/p>\n
\n(As come it will for a’ that,)
\nThat Sense and Worth, o’er a’ the earth,
\nShall bear<\/a> the gree, an’ a’ that.
\nFor a’ that, an’<\/a> a’ that,
\nIt’s coming yet for a’ that,
\nThat Man to Man, the world o’er,
\nShall brothers be for a’<\/a> that.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"