Seeing Ourselves as We See Robert Burns

"O wad some Pow'r the giftie gie us
"to see oursels as ithers see us!"
We thank, thee, Robert Burns, ye free us
from our boast,
How self-absorbed and troubled be us!
Then, we'd be toast!

Now, watch we lines of stanza ringing,
It's with an extra piece still hanging,
which makes me think it's quite amusing,
to call it Burns!
Each syllable, that hangs in writing,
The heart it yearns!

"What mean, thee through this wonton madness
"as though thy words were joy, not sadness,
"to boast thyself in depths of badness
"'bout Burns own verse?"
It is not boast, not irksome gladness,
research immerse.

"What aileth, thee? Please, tell us plainly!"
Just this one thought, that crosseth mainly,
"Why doth Burns Stanza, right as rainly
require us eight,
"While his own lines of verse, ungainly
were nine's debate?"

How could a hanging syll'ble be in
the verses we are plainly seein'?
How could we thoughts from burden freein'
the myst'ry here?
Let's work with Burns own words a-giein'
the meaning clear!

"O, that a Pow'r would give us gift,
"to see as other's sight would lift,
"It would from many blunders shift,
"And foolish thought,
"What airs in dress and walk would drift
"as we were taught!"

O, let me flee the reader's ire,
that wishes now to light a fire
to lift my pate somewhat up high'r
for childish mirth!
My motive now, the whole, entire
is joyous worth!

In self-defense I swift would hie,
that great the poet is this guy,
I say the truth, I would not lie,
but think it through.
When count the parts of line each by,
we see it new.

For lines of varied syll'bles writ
in sev'n or eight or nine admit
and ten in some at truth I git
a moving post.
Seems funny. though I'm not nitwit,
so please don't roast!

A standard we may need to take,
Traditions we would newly make,
And eight he'd often use to bake
his poem tart.
Before I show a firm mistake,
Let's say, "It's art!"

Line Count: 60

by Jay O'Toole
on November 26, 2016