George Mackay Brown

[Jaffa]

Opened the Sunday paper and discovered he'd just died. I doubt many on this forum will know who he is but I'm going to miss his craft and honesty.

 

Never met the man myself, but he certainly wrote in ways that have made me think.

 

Going to miss his work

 

 

"

For the islands I sing

and for a few friends;

not to foster means

or to be midwife to ends.

 

Not for old Marx

and his moon cold logic-

anthill dialectics,

neither gay nor tragic.

 

Not that extravagance

Lawrence understood-

golden phoenix

flowering from blood

 

For Scotland I sing,

the knox-ruined nation,

that poet and saint

must rebuild with their

passion.

 

For workers in field

and mill and mine

who break Earths bread

and crush her wine.

 

Go,good my songs,

be as gay as you can.

Weep, if you have to,

the tears of a man.

 

Praise tinker and saint,

and the rose that takes

its full of sunlight

though a world that breaks. "

 

Im going to miss that man.

 

[ 30. May 2005, 01:36 AM: Message edited by: Jaffa ]

[IanR]

Hi

 

I thought GMB died in 1996?

 

Cheers

 

Ian.

[Jaffa]

Sorry Ian, I should have been clearer; It was news to me. I've always loved his books and short stories yet never heard he'd died. A genuine shock to discover he'd gone. Somehow just assumed he was still quietly working away

 

Do you like his work too?

[IanR]

Hi Jaffa

 

Yes, I do. Good website here: http://www.georgemackaybrown.co.uk/siteindex.htm

 

He beats McGonagall.............

 

Cheers

 

Ian.

[Jaffa]

Cheers Ian, time I had a look at something non fishy.

 

You leave McGonagall alone though

[Alan Stubbs]

Jaffa:

 

 

You leave McGonagall alone though    

It's a pity Spike Milligan didn't! ;-)