Tuesday Poem: "I Murder Hate" by Robbie Burns

I Murder Hate

I murder hate by flood or field,
Tho' glory's name may screen us;
In wars at home I'll spend my blood-
Life-giving wars of Venus.
The deities that I adore
Are social Peace and Plenty;
I'm better pleas'd to make one more,
Than be the death of twenty.

I would not die like Socrates,
For all the fuss of Plato;
Nor would I with Leonidas,
Nor yet would I with Cato:
The zealots of the Church and State
Shall ne'er my mortal foes be;
 But let me have bold Zimri's fate,
Within the arms of Cozbi!



This was going to be a post entitled, "Why I hate Doctors,"  but turns out I couldn't find any even half-decent poems around the theme.  Plenty of rants.  Enough to keep me sane for a while ;)  And while sometimes a little catharic rant can be good, it's even better to listen to other people and think - geez, lucky I'm not in their shoes. 

Now, more to the point, this poem is actually a fantastic song (by my Grandfather's favourite poet).  Apparently in the old testiment Zimri sullied himself to save his men or some such.  So I'm sure that's the point (saving his people), and not some of the mysogynistic themes a modern woman might take away from the story.  And that being so, what a marvellous piece.  Refusing the temptation of one's antagonists and turning murder onto hate itself.

He is a bigger man than I, which is not really a surprise, and also undoubtedly a better poet, so I hope you all enjoyed this big hearted piece from the Bard of Ayrshire. 

http://tuesdaypoem.blogspot.co.nz/

Have a great week people.  And if you have time, why not check out the other great poems up on the fantastic Tuesday blog
 A Poem For The Innocents by Geoffrey Philp
looks awesome.  Tomorrow, I'm hoping to have a better look, but for now, have a good night :)