A Burns Limerick (and Triolet)

Burns' Limerick

A date for which each Scotsman yearns:
Is it lost in the nation's concerns?
There's no need to worry
as fried haggis curry
can bring back the mem'ry of Burns.

Burns' Triolet

Burns’ Night comes but once a year,
the haggis and the pipes come oot,
Auld Lang Syne and tartan gear.
Burns’ Night comes but once a year,
wee sleekit tim’rous atmosphere,
address the lassies thereaboot.
Burns’ Night comes but once a year
The haggis and the pipes come oot.

Spoiler Alert

A quickie poem that I wrote as I was watching the final few minutes of Arnie in "Total Recall" on TV.

Spoiler Alert

I thought I’d write a little pome
as I was sitting here at home
just watching good old Ronnie Cox
expiring on the telly box
as “Total Recall” nears its end
and Arnie’s starting to descend
to slide upon the Martian soil –
but  do I really want to spoil
the end for those that have not seen
this sci-fi film upon the screen?

Not really, so apologies
If I have spoilt your fun with these
few couplets; that was not my aim,
but really you should share the blame.
I’m sorry if your bubble’s burst:
You should have read the title first.

Old and New

I wrote this poem for recital at a new poetry group (The Pub Poets) who met for the first time on 4th January. The theme for this inaugural meeting was "The Old and The New"

I had recently watched all three of the Batman films directed by Christopher Nolan, which probably accounts for my line of thought when writing this poem.


Old and New 

You’ve probably heard of the saying concerning

the things that are changing and staying the same?

Well, this came to mind when I found myself turning

these thoughts all around in my head, so my aim 

was to highlight some cases – that we could all use:

Holding on to the old so the new is not news.

Reinventing the wheel is the media’s thing,

From Gascoigne to Paxman: no challenge at all,

In X-Factor, so many covers they sing,

and Dallas revamped – with the Oil Baron’s Ball.

The filmmakers know they have nothing to lose 

Taking hold of the old that anew could be news.

Just think about Batman who, ev’ry few years,

Is pulled out of mothballs, the dust shaken off 

for a reboot when some new director appears 

who believes that there’s plenty left there in the trough.

After Keaton and Bale they must carefully choose –

Yet they still hold the old so the new is not news.

It may be tradition, and that’s fair enough;

nostalgia’s a powerful thing, to be sure.

But there’s more to contend with – discard all the fluff;

There’s greed and intol’rance; the world needs a cure.

There’s still killing and starving as plenty refuse 
to leave hold of the old. So what’s new? It’s not news