Word Cloud: ANEW

Posted on December 29, 2017 by wordcloud9

by NONA BLYTH CLOUD

The year 2017 has been a difficult one for many people. The increasing effects of global climate change have taken lives and destroyed homes. More people, especially children, are hungry, or waiting in a refugee camp for the chance of a new life in some country far from their war-ravaged or drought-stricken homelands.

Those of us in the United States who hoped it would be the first year of an American woman president have been bitterly disappointed by the inauguration instead of a man who stands for everything we despise, and have worked so hard to change about our society.

But 2017 is almost over. In a few days, it will be 2018. As Ranier Maria Rilke urges us:

“And now let us believe in a long year that is given to us,
new, untouched, full of things that have never been.”

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In 1788, Robert Burns (1759-1796) wrote the most famous poem for New Year’s Eve in the world, Auld Lang Syne. It became a song, and its first verse and chorus are now sung all around the world to bid farewell to the old year, and welcome in a new one.  But many people are unsure what the words they are singing mean, and even fewer know all the verses of the poem.

So click here for the whole poem/song, with the verses in the original Scots poem and the lyrics in English translation of the song:

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Original Poem:

 

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Song Lyrics:
 

AULD LANG SYNE

 

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OLD LANG SYNE

(literal: Old Long Since)

 
 

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne?

 

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 Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and old lang syne?
CHORUS:

For auld lang syne, my jo,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

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CHORUS:

For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

 
 

And surely ye’ll be your pint-stoup!
and surely I’ll be mine!
And we’ll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

 

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And surely you’ll buy your pint cup!
and surely I’ll buy mine!
And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

 
 

We twa hae run about the braes,
and pou’d the gowans fine;
But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fit,
sin’ auld lang syne.

 

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We two have run about the slopes,
and picked the daisies fine;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne.

 
 

We twa hae paidl’d in the burn,
frae morning sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar’d
sin’ auld lang syne.

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We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.
 

 

And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere!
and gie’s a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll tak’ a right gude-willie waught,
for auld lang syne.

 

 

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 And there’s a hand my trusty friend!
And give me a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.

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A cup of kindness – something we all need. Please join me in a toast and a heart-felt wish for a kinder, more peaceful year in 2018.

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SOURCES

  • The Complete Poems and Songs of Robert Burns, Waverley Books Ltd (2009)
  • The Concise Scots Dictionary, compiled by Alexander Warrack MA (originally published in 1911) – © 1988 by New Orchard Editions Ltd

VISUALS

  • Robert Burns as a young man
  • ‘For Auld Lang Syne’ new year’s card

Word Cloud Photo by Larry Cloud

About wordcloud9

Nona Blyth Cloud has lived and worked in the Los Angeles area for over 50 years, spending much of that time commuting on the 405 Freeway. After Hollywood failed to appreciate her genius for acting and directing, she began a second career managing non-profits, from which she has retired. Nona has now resumed writing whatever comes into her head, instead of reports and pleas for funding. She lives in a small house overrun by books with her wonderful husband.
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