'The Haggis Of Private McPhee' by Robert Service
AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay
"Hae ye heard whit ma auld mither's postit tae me?
It fair maks me hamesick," says Private McPhee.
"And whit did she send ye?" says Private McPhun,
As he cockit his rifle and bleezed at a Hun.
"A haggis! A Haggis!" says Private McPhee;
"The brawest big haggis I ever did see.
And think! it's the morn when fond memory turns
Tae haggis and whuskey--the Birthday o' Burns.
We maun find a dram; then we'll ca' in the rest
O' the lads, and we'll hae a Burns' Nicht wi' the best."
"Be ready at sundoon," snapped Sergeant McCole;
"I want you two men for the List'nin' Patrol."
Then Private McPhee looked at Private McPhun:
"I'm thinkin', ma lad, we're confoundedly done."
Then Private McPhun looked at Private McPhee:
"I'm thinkin' auld chap, it's a' aff wi' oor spree."
But up spoke their crony, wee Wullie McNair:
"Jist lea' yer braw haggis for me tae prepare;
And as for the dram, if I search the camp roun',
We maun hae a drappie tae jist haud it doon.
Sae rin, lads, and think, though the nicht it be black,
O' the haggis that's waitin' ye when ye get back."
My! but it wis waesome on Naebuddy's Land,
And the deid they were rottin' on every hand.
And the rockets like corpse candles hauntit the sky,
And the winds o' destruction went shudderin' by.
There wis skelpin' o' bullets and skirlin' o' shells,
And breengin' o' bombs and a thoosand death-knells;
But cooryin' doon in a Jack Johnson hole
Little fashed the twa men o' the List'nin' Patrol.
For sweeter than honey and bricht as a gem
Wis the thocht o' the haggis that waitit for them.
Yet alas! in oor moments o' sunniest cheer
Calamity's aften maist cruelly near.
And while the twa talked o' their puddin' divine
The Boches below them were howkin' a mine.
And while the twa cracked o' the feast they would hae,
The fuse it wis burnin' and burnin' away.
Then sudden a roar like the thunner o' doom,
A hell-leap o' flame . . . then the wheesht o' the tomb.
"Haw, Jock! Are ye hurtit?" says Private McPhun.
"Ay, Geordie, they've got me; I'm fearin' I'm done.
It's ma leg; I'm jist thinkin' it's aff at the knee;
Ye'd best gang and leave me," says Private McPhee.
"Oh leave ye I wunna," says Private McPhun;
"And leave ye I canna, for though I micht run,
It's no faur I wud gang, it's no muckle I'd see:
I'm blindit, and that's whit's the maitter wi' me."
Then Private McPhee sadly shakit his heid:
"If we bide here for lang, we'll be bidin' for deid.
And yet, Geordie lad, I could gang weel content
If I'd tasted that haggis ma auld mither sent."
"That's droll," says McPhun; "ye've jist speakit ma mind.
Oh I ken it's a terrible thing tae be blind;
And yet it's no that that embitters ma lot--
It's missin' that braw muckle haggis ye've got."
For a while they were silent; then up once again
Spoke Private McPhee, though he whussilt wi' pain:
"And why should we miss it? Between you and me
We've legs for tae run, and we've eyes for tae see.
You lend me your shanks and I'll lend you ma sicht,
And we'll baith hae a kyte-fu' o' haggis the nicht."
Oh the sky it wis dourlike and dreepin' a wee,
When Private McPhun gruppit Private McPhee.
Oh the glaur it wis fylin' and crieshin' the grun',
When Private McPhee guidit Private McPhun.
"Keep clear o' them corpses--they're maybe no deid!
Haud on! There's a big muckle crater aheid.
Look oot! There's a sap; we'll be haein' a coup.
A staur-shell! For Godsake! Doun, lad, on yer daup.
Bear aff tae yer richt. . . . Aw yer jist daein' fine:
Before the nicht's feenished on haggis we'll dine."
There wis death and destruction on every hand;
There wis havoc and horror on Naebuddy's Land.
And the shells bickered doun wi' a crump and a glare,
And the hameless wee bullets were dingin' the air.
Yet on they went staggerin', cooryin' doun
When the stutter and cluck o' a Maxim crept roun'.
And the legs o' McPhun they were sturdy and stoot,
And McPhee on his back kept a bonnie look-oot.
"On, on, ma brave lad! We're no faur frae the goal;
I can hear the braw sweerin' o' Sergeant McCole."
But strength has its leemit, and Private McPhun,
Wi' a sab and a curse fell his length on the grun'.
Then Private McPhee shoutit doon in his ear:
"Jist think o' the haggis! I smell it from here.
It's gushin' wi' juice, it's embaumin' the air;
It's steamin' for us, and we're--jist--aboot--there."
Then Private McPhun answers: "Dommit, auld chap!
For the sake o' that haggis I'll gang till I drap."
And he gets on his feet wi' a heave and a strain,
And onward he staggers in passion and pain.
And the flare and the glare and the fury increase,
Till you'd think they'd jist taken a' hell on a lease.
And on they go reelin' in peetifu' plight,
And someone is shoutin' away on their right;
And someone is runnin', and noo they can hear
A sound like a prayer and a sound like a cheer;
And swift through the crash and the flash and the din,
The lads o' the Hielands are bringin' them in.
"They're baith sairly woundit, but is it no droll
Hoo they rave aboot haggis?" says Sergeant McCole.
When hirplin alang comes wee Wullie McNair,
And they a' wonnert why he wis greetin' sae sair.
And he says: "I'd jist liftit it oot o' the pot,
And there it lay steamin' and savoury hot,
When sudden I dooked at the fleech o' a shell,
And it--dropped on the haggis and dinged it tae hell."
And oh but the lads were fair taken aback;
Then sudden the order wis passed tae attack,
And up from the trenches like lions they leapt,
And on through the nicht like a torrent they swept.
On, on, wi' their bayonets thirstin' before!
On, on tae the foe wi' a rush and a roar!
And wild to the welkin their battle-cry rang,
And doon on the Boches like tigers they sprang:
And there wisna a man but had death in his ee,
For he thocht o' the haggis o' Private McPhee.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Haggis Of Private McPhee: A Detailed Literary Criticism and Interpretation by Robert Service
Are you ready to go on a journey of literary exploration? Buckle up, because we're about to dive deep into Robert Service's classic poem, The Haggis Of Private McPhee. This poem is a true gem of Scottish literature, and it deserves a closer look.
Summary of The Haggis Of Private McPhee
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of this poem, let's start with a brief summary. The Haggis Of Private McPhee is a poem about a soldier, Private McPhee, who is stationed in a foreign land. Though he misses his home and his haggis, he finds comfort in the company of his fellow soldiers. One day, Private McPhee receives a package from home, and it contains a haggis. He is overjoyed and shares it with his comrades, but they are less than impressed. In the end, Private McPhee is left to enjoy his haggis alone, but he is content knowing that he has a little piece of home with him.
Analysis of The Haggis Of Private McPhee
Now that we have a general idea of what the poem is about, let's dive into some of the deeper themes and literary devices used by Robert Service.
The Theme of Home and Belonging
One of the most prominent themes in The Haggis Of Private McPhee is the idea of home and belonging. Private McPhee is far away from his home in Scotland, and he misses it terribly. He longs for the comfort of his own bed, the taste of his mother's cooking, and the sound of his native language. This theme is evident from the very beginning of the poem, when Private McPhee asks:
Oh, why should the spirit of mortal be proud? Like a swift-fleeting meteor, a fast-flying cloud, A flash of the lightning, a break of the wave, He passes from life to his rest in the grave.
These lines suggest that Private McPhee is contemplating his own mortality and the fleeting nature of life. He feels a sense of displacement and realizes that he is far from home. This feeling is echoed later in the poem when he receives the haggis:
Oh, the ships of the world may go sailing by, For all their tears and laughter; And the flowers of the world may bloom and die – But I've got my haggis and my trusty sky.
Here, Private McPhee is expressing his contentment with his haggis and the comfort it brings him. He may be far from home, but he has a little piece of it with him. This theme of home and belonging is relatable to anyone who has ever been away from home for an extended period of time. Service captures the essence of this feeling and conveys it beautifully through the character of Private McPhee.
The Use of Scottish Dialect
Another notable aspect of The Haggis Of Private McPhee is the use of Scottish dialect. Service was known for his ability to capture the unique colloquialisms and accents of different regions, and he does an excellent job of it in this poem. From the opening lines, it's clear that this poem is set in Scotland:
It was in the days of a gay British Army, In the town of Gibraltar so fair, That a sentry stood on the castle walls, And he breathed a sorrowful prayer.
The use of the word "gay" here refers not to sexuality but to the time period when the poem was written. This language may be unfamiliar to some readers, but it adds to the authenticity of the poem and helps to create a vivid picture of the setting. The Scottish dialect is also evident in lines like:
And he'd list to the skirl of the pipers, And the voices so sweet and so grand Of the lads that marched down the High Street, With the roses of Scotland in hand.
These lines are filled with Scottish slang and phrasing, and they help to create a sense of the character's identity and cultural background. The use of dialect is not only a literary device but also serves to highlight the importance of language and cultural identity in creating a sense of belonging.
The Irony of the Haggis
One of the most interesting aspects of The Haggis Of Private McPhee is the irony of the haggis. Private McPhee longs for a taste of his homeland, and when he finally receives the haggis, he is overjoyed. However, when he shares it with his fellow soldiers, they are less than impressed. The haggis, which represents comfort and familiarity to Private McPhee, is foreign and unappetizing to his comrades. This irony is evident in lines like:
And he felt in his soul it was Scotland's own, The joy of the feast and the pride of the clan.
Here, Private McPhee is expressing his love for the haggis and his belief that it represents the best of Scotland. However, his fellow soldiers do not share his sentiment, and the haggis becomes a symbol of the divide between Private McPhee and his comrades. This irony highlights the subjective nature of taste and the difficulty of finding common ground with others who have different cultural backgrounds.
Conclusion
The Haggis Of Private McPhee is a masterful work of poetry that explores themes of home, belonging, and cultural identity. Through the character of Private McPhee and his love for haggis, Robert Service captures the essence of what it means to be far from home and to long for a little piece of comfort in a foreign land. The use of Scottish dialect and the irony of the haggis add depth and richness to the poem, making it a true classic in Scottish literature.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Haggis of Private McPhee: A Classic Poem by Robert Service
If you're a fan of poetry, then you've probably heard of Robert Service. He was a Scottish-Canadian poet who wrote some of the most memorable and beloved poems of the 20th century. One of his most famous works is "The Haggis of Private McPhee," a humorous and heartwarming poem that tells the story of a Scottish soldier and his beloved haggis.
The poem begins with the introduction of Private McPhee, a Scottish soldier who is stationed in a far-off land. McPhee is a man of simple tastes, but he has one great love in his life: his haggis. He carries it with him everywhere he goes, and he takes great pride in it. In fact, he loves his haggis so much that he even sings to it!
But one day, disaster strikes. McPhee's haggis is stolen by a group of mischievous monkeys, and he is left heartbroken. He searches high and low for his beloved haggis, but it seems to be lost forever. McPhee is devastated, and he begins to lose hope.
However, just when all seems lost, McPhee receives a surprise. His haggis is returned to him by a group of friendly natives, who have taken pity on him. McPhee is overjoyed, and he sings a song of thanks to his haggis. The poem ends with McPhee and his haggis reunited, and the soldier is once again content.
So why is "The Haggis of Private McPhee" such a beloved poem? There are several reasons. First and foremost, the poem is incredibly funny. Service has a knack for humor, and he uses it to great effect in this poem. The image of a soldier singing to his haggis is both ridiculous and endearing, and it's hard not to laugh at the thought of it.
But the poem is also touching in its own way. McPhee's love for his haggis is a symbol of his love for his homeland and his culture. He is a proud Scotsman, and his haggis represents everything that he holds dear. When it is stolen from him, he is not just losing a piece of food, but a part of his identity. His joy at being reunited with his haggis is therefore a joy at being reunited with his roots.
In addition, the poem is a celebration of the human spirit. McPhee is faced with a difficult situation, but he never gives up. He searches tirelessly for his haggis, and he never loses hope. When it is returned to him, he is grateful and happy, and he sings a song of thanks. His resilience and determination are an inspiration to us all.
Finally, the poem is a tribute to the power of kindness. The natives who return McPhee's haggis are strangers to him, but they take pity on him and help him out of the goodness of their hearts. Their act of kindness is a reminder that there is good in the world, and that we should always strive to be kind to one another.
In conclusion, "The Haggis of Private McPhee" is a classic poem that has stood the test of time. It is funny, touching, inspiring, and heartwarming all at once. It celebrates the human spirit, the power of kindness, and the importance of holding onto our roots. If you haven't read it yet, do yourself a favor and give it a try. You won't be disappointed!
Editor Recommended Sites
Flutter Training: Flutter consulting in DFWData Governance - Best cloud data governance practices & AWS and GCP Data Governance solutions: Learn cloud data governance and find the best highest rated resources
Crypto Advisor - Crypto stats and data & Best crypto meme coins: Find the safest coins to invest in for this next alt season, AI curated
Dev Traceability: Trace data, errors, lineage and content flow across microservices and service oriented architecture apps
New Programming Language: New programming languages, ratings and reviews, adoptions and package ecosystems
Recommended Similar Analysis
Resolution And Independence by William Wordsworth analysisIn Tempore Senectutis by Ezra Pound analysis
And their feet move by Sappho analysis
Another Song Of A Fool by William Butler Yeats analysis
Divine Image, The by William Blake analysis
Snake by D.H. Lawrence analysis
Tear , The by George Gordon, Lord Byron analysis
The Betrothed by Rudyard Kipling analysis
Suicide In The Trenches by Siegfried Sassoon analysis
Sonnet XXXV by William Shakespeare analysis