We celebrate Burns Night every year at The Book Collector. Ours is just one of the many celebrations held on January 25th to pay tribute to the Scottish poet Robert Burns. This year that date falls on a Tuesday. In addition to a program that pays tribute to Burns — and Scottish poetry — this year we’d also like to use the event as an opportunity to show our gratiude to all who have supported and sustained the bookstore through 2010, a year that proved to be a challenging one for us. In short, we want to have a party with our friends.
If you’ve been invited to read poetry at the event, the most important thing you need to know is that you are not required to read a Burn’s poem! Several folks plan to include tributes to Burns and to Scottish poetry as part of their contribution but this isn’t a requirement. There is no theme to which you have to adhere. Bring the poems you’d like to read; your own or others.
The event will begin officially at 7pm, but we’d like to have the doors open by 6pm with food and drinks available so folks can mingle and chat. The desire, again, is for this to be more of a party with a reading component than a typical reading. There will be seating and we’d love folks to be attentive as poets read and presenters present, but there will be time to enjoy the food and conversation as well. This won’t be a private event, but it isn’t going to be widely advertised as a public one. Please feel free to invite folks you think would enjoy attending, especially if you’d like them to come to hear you read.
If you are reading this evening, please select up to, but no more than, four poems to present during your time at the lectern. There is no time limit. We just ask that poets and presenters recognize that it’s a big program.
“A big program.” While we’re not big fans of epic poetry readings that can overwhelm an audience with their length and the quantity of poets, we do want to have a gathering where a good number of the folk present are “part of the show.” This may be the last big bash we get to do for awhile. We’d like it to be special.
Once again, Kevin Jones will head up the Burn’s program. It’s a necessary part of our annual tradition to include a reading of Burn’s poem To A Haggis. Rachel and I will then perform Haggis, a Rebuttal. Other poets will read what they like. Rachel and I have a few presentations we’d like to make, including some inductions into the Royal Order of The Chip Fork. Overall, the program is scheduled to run two hours — 7pm to 9pm. This includes a 20 minute intermission to allow folks to restock their plates and refill their glasses (and visit the Reagan Library).
Food & Drink. The traditional Burns Night is a meal served in several courses. While we’d love to do this, it isn’t practical or affordable. But you can expect more than store bought cookies. Some nice desserts and finger foods. And libations appropriate to a Scottish gathering! (Teetotallers will be cheerfully accommodated.)
Questions? Give us a call at the booktore, 916.442.9295. Or email me, richard@poems-for-all.com
