Month: December 2014

Auld Lang Syne — Robert Burns

Daniel von der Embse poetry

This text of Robert Burns’ iconic Auld Lang Syne comes courtesy of the BBC. It is so much better read aloud than sung in the popular New Year’s Eve anthem.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!

For auld lang syne, my jo,
For auld lang syne,
We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

And surely ye’ll be your pint stowp!
And surely I’ll be mine!
And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

We twa hae run about the braes,
And pou’d the gowan fine;
But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fitt,
Sin’ auld lang syne.

We twa hae paidl’d in the burn,
Frae morning sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar’d
Sin’ auld lang syne.

And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere!
And gie’s a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll tak a right gude-willie-waught,
For auld lang syne.

For auld lang syne, my jo,
For auld lang syne,
We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

As when you were here (I Am Waiting Poetry Series) Silver Birch Press

Daniel von der Embse poetry

Thank you Silver Birch Press for this gorgeous presentation of my poem “As when you were here.” What a satisfying way to end what has been a most fulfilling year. Happy New Year to all and thank you for reading and following.

Silver Birch Press

spring-open-door-on-the-balcony-1948
As when you were here
by Daniel von der Embse

In the house I keep
to remind me of you,
I wait for your return
to bring life back into the room

Your hair never cleaned
from the sink or your scent
lost from the bed, everything suspended
since you went away

On the table, the linens
brought back from Italy
soften the hardness of miles traveled
before we rested here

The front door kept unlocked
for you to enter without a knock,
nothing that could delay you
from rushing back to me

The creak of the hinges pitched
exactly as when you were here,
nothing changed
but the counting of the years

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: I love this topic—Waiting! Years ago as a young actor I played Vladimir in Waiting for Godot — a transformative experience. Now, 40 years on, I spend most of my time traveling and waiting in airports…

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