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Robert Burns, A Man's a Man for A' That
Whitman asks, “Who need be afraid of the merge?” There are lots of ways we can take this, and we try out several of those ways this evening, under lamplight, with Robert Burns, celebrating the Scottish spirit of the “independent mind” (independent here not necessarily in the political sense), Whitman extending himself outside his hat and boots to merge with everyone he encounters, and Leonard Cohen, in honour of his big birthday this week.
Leonard taking a graceful and gracious bow as we wish him happy birthday.
Tags: A Man's a Man for A' That, Because of, Confitemini Domino, Ewan MacColl, George Harrison, If It Be Your Will, Leonard Cohen, Robert Burns, Song of Myself, Taizé, Whitman
You read and then comment on the poems with admirable ease, not getting between the text and the listener, like the ideal guide in an art museum, giving us time to look and interact with the painting before giving us some help in understanding it—but always in a conversational manner, informed but not taking a superior position: sharing thoughts not instructing. I always enjoy these programmes.