I find new writing and poets all the time and I have decided to share some of my favourites together here for those who might be interested too.
Exploring Robert Burns – a Compassionate Poet?
He was full of contradictions, but I like his animal rights stance which surprised me. However he was at different times in his career sponsored by huntsmen and had had a different attitude to blood sports. He was fully immersed in nature and wrote compassionate poems about vulnerable animals, such as The Mouse. However he used hunting metaphors for illicit love. But on the whole he was very anti-animal cruelty as in this Burns poem, my favourite, and makes Burns one of my favourite all time poets. (Apart from Ode to the Haggis or Tam O’Shanter).
Now Westlin Winds
by Robert Burns, 1759-1796
Now westlin winds, and slaught'ring guns
Bring Autumn's pleasant weather;
And the moorcock springs, on whirring wings,
Amang the blooming heather:
Now waving grain,wide o'er the plain,
Delights the weary Farmer;
And the moon shines bright, when I rove at night,
To muse upon my Charmer.
The Partridge loves the fruitful fells;
The Plover loves the mountains;
The Woodcock haunts the lonely dells;
The soaring Hern the fountains:
Through lofty groves the Cushat roves,
The path of man to shun it;
The hazel bush o'erhangs the Thrush,
The spreading Thorn the Linnet.
Thus ev'ry kind their pleasure find,
The savage and the tender;
Some social join, and leagues combine;
Some solitary wander:
Avaunt away! the cruel sway,
Tyrannic man's dominion;
The Sportsman's joy, the murd'ring cry,
The flutt'ring, gory pinion!
But, Peggy dear, the ev'ning's clear,
Thick flies the skimming Swallow;
The sky is blue, the fields in view,
All fading - green and yellow:
Come let us stray our gladsome way,
And view the charms of Nature;
The rustling corn, the fruited thorn,
And ev'ry happy creature.
We'll gently walk, and sweetly talk,
Till the silent moon shine clearly;
I'll grasp thy waist, and fondly prest,
Swear how I love thee dearly:
Not vernal show'rs to budding flow'rs,
Not Autumn to the Farmer,
So dear can be, as thou to me,
My fair, my lovely Charmer!
Other Favourite Poets
I’ll link some of my other favourite poets below.
Sapphire Sea 