The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #110424   Message #2477736
Posted By: GUEST,Smokey
27-Oct-08 - 09:45 PM
Thread Name: England's National Musical-Instrument?
Subject: RE: England's National Musical-Instrument?
Ah well.........

WaV:

"I was 3 in 1970 when my family left England for Aus., 21 when I visited in 1988, and 30 in 1997 when I came home."

So you became Australian for 27 formative years, and then emigrated to Britain aged 30. If it was alright for you to do that, surely you can't have a problem with others doing the same thing?

What is the difference between what you have done and, say, a Jamaican 3 year old being brought here by his parents, growing up with whatever culture we have here, reaching the age of thirty and then moving back to Jamaica because he feels it might be better in some way?

You seem to be saying that it was fine and justified for you to do it, but now it should be completely banned, globally. I can't help thinking that might be a teensy bit hypocritical.

Here's some real poetry - my advice is to take particular note of the last verse:

Ha! whaur ye gaun, ye crowlin ferlie?
Your impudence protects you sairly;
I canna say but ye strunt rarely,
Owre gauze and lace;
Tho', faith! I fear ye dine but sparely
On sic a place.

Ye ugly, creepin, blastit wonner,
Detested, shunn'd by saunt an' sinner,
How daur ye set your fit upon her-
Sae fine a lady?
Gae somewhere else and seek your dinner
On some poor body.

Swith! in some beggar's haffet squattle;
There ye may creep, and sprawl, and sprattle,
Wi' ither kindred, jumping cattle,
In shoals and nations;
Whaur horn nor bane ne'er daur unsettle
Your thick plantations.

Now haud you there, ye're out o' sight,
Below the fatt'rels, snug and tight;
Na, faith ye yet! ye'll no be right,
Till ye've got on it-
The verra tapmost, tow'rin height
O' Miss' bonnet.

My sooth! right bauld ye set your nose out,
As plump an' grey as ony groset:
O for some rank, mercurial rozet,
Or fell, red smeddum,
I'd gie you sic a hearty dose o't,
Wad dress your droddum.

I wad na been surpris'd to spy
You on an auld wife's flainen toy;
Or aiblins some bit dubbie boy,
On's wyliecoat;
But Miss' fine Lunardi! fye!
How daur ye do't?

O Jeany, dinna toss your head,
An' set your beauties a' abread!
Ye little ken what cursed speed
The blastie's makin:
Thae winks an' finger-ends, I dread,
Are notice takin.

O wad some Power the giftie gie us
To see oursels as ithers see us!
It wad frae mony a blunder free us,
An' foolish notion:
What airs in dress an' gait wad lea'e us,
An' ev'n devotion!

(Burns)