Lament for a Scupper’d AGM
How the world’s oldest Burns Club was nearly thwarted by a microscopic virus
When Rab turn’d ower the mousie’s nest
That dark November day
His thoughts went tae the rodent’s life
And whaur its future lay
The mousie’s fate look’d very bleak
Oor Bardie was upset
He saw the part that he had play’d
And what micht happen yet
He also took the mousie’s plight
Compar’d it to himsel’
And how mankind was much worse aff
In ways that he could tell
An’ forward tho’ I canna see
Was what he said back then
He guess’d and fear’d aboot oor plight
Tho’ it beyond his ken
He couldnae hae seen the human race
Brought firmly to its knees
By a sleekit’, cowerin’ Chinese bat
And its relentless disease
Is this revenge for Rabbie’s mouse,
Or just a quirk o’ fate?
The question noo across the land
Did we react too late?
The smartest scientific minds
Are lookin’ for a cure
For this disease has nae respect
If ye be rich or poor
The sadness spreads across the world
As death rates rise and soar
Lockdown reigns throughout oor land
Social gatherings are no more
And serious tho’ this a’ may be
Bemoan’d by mice and men
It’s gone it’s dinger noo and scupper’d
The Mother Club’s AGM!
The Committee members were aghast
This surely cannae be?
We hae tae meet, it’s in the rules
But how, we couldnae see!
Technology just won the day
“Keep safe” oor battle cry
An Electronic AGM
And The Mother Club gets by
Ev’n Rabbie couldnae hae seen this come
When he wrote in yesteryear
An’ forward tho’ ah canna see
Ah guess and fear …
Wi’ God’s guid grace we’ll a’ get through
This crisis, safe and well
And hae a Toast at the Mother Club -
But when? Ah, wha can tell?
Iain White
Junior Vice President
Greenock Burns Club
26th March 2020
