Love to know what mum's think of the Scottish Baby Box poem

[toomuchpink]

Love to know what mum's - especially those in Scotland - think of this poem. It is going into the Scottish Government's new baby box of freebies for parents of newborns.

Tempted to ask for alternative suggestions which truly capture the experience of having a baby. But perhaps for some people this is what it is like?

Jackie Kay
Welcome Wee One

O ma darlin wee one
At last you are here in the wurld
And wi’ aa your wisdom
Your een bricht as the stars,
You've filled this hoose with licht,
Yer trusty wee haun, your globe o' a heid,
My cherished yin, my hert's ain!

O my darlin wee one
The hale wurld welcomes ye:
The mune glowes; the hearth wairms.
Let your life hae luck, health, charm,
Ye are my bonny blessed bairn,
My small miraculous gift.
I never kent luve like this.

And commented on the bulbous nature of the infant's head.

The SNP may has well have sent someone round to point and shout 'look at massive baw heid on that wean!' at people's newborns.

In fact, that's probably what they plan to replace midwife visits post-birth with.

Could some of the cultural angst, about both the intent of the poet and the projection of a culture that doesn't represent your experience, be a hangover from when anything other than RP was considered less well educated?

No. In east ren.

Have you considered that standard Scottish English is not RP (not least because RP is pronunciation).

I'll settle for the kind of English that includes outwith.

Derxa - I said OK. I'm really not bothered at all by your claim, but crack on

the best thing we could say about the poet in regards to this poem is "she meant well".

I think that's probably a fair summation Queen

Oh my question was a philosophical one, not an attack. I know RP and standard are as different now as RP is essentially made up. My question is why is the use of this uncommon vernacular triggering such hatred and vitriol? It's got to be more than just political intent.

Same with my question about other art forms, should we rid them of all non accurate, cultural stereotypes, and if not, what makes poetry different? Why do we feel that this use of language is an attack?

Because of a concerted effort by the Scottish government to promote this particular form of language and pretend that it is the One True Mark of Scottishness.

I have a problem with politicians who for their own reasons are determined to deny the reality of a great many Scottish people.

So putting an unnecessary poem in a box given to all new mothers is not just a nice gesture but part of a bigger plan of action.

I'm not too worried about "bigger plans". None of the smaller plans seem to be going to, er plan.

Or indeed any of their other sized plans...if they actually have any plans beyond independence, of course.

You're being a bit unfair - the 5p plastic bag charge worked very well. Struggling to think of anything else.

TBH, plans don't have to be effective to be bloody irritating.

I take it back - the 5p bag tax has been very successful. Now if we can just get them to add the Scots language version of name places to the Gaelic ones already on the road and rail signs we'll be sorted.

I didn't mean specifically the SNP's plans.

How's it going for Labour/new/Scottish? Or the conservatives? Remember the Libdems? Everything going swimming to plan? The War on Terror, Brexit, Rebublican/democrats, Syria, Calais, etc.

They're going about as well as the SNPs plans.

Although to be fair to them, they're doing better than Syria - which is not too difficult.

Seriously. Some people on this thread are as bad as the Britain First folks on the nurses-speak-English thread. We should welcome cultural diversity in all its forms and any appeal to only the majority is closed minded and dull.

You're completely misinterpreting. It's not resistance to diversity - we actually want the Scottish government to recognise the diversity within the category Scottishness instead of trying to reduce it (in the process Othering anyone who does not speak Scots).

In effect the Scottish government are, to suit their independence agenda, trying to do exactly what the Britain first people are but substituting Scots for English.

Loved Sunset Song - I also did it for my Higher and I think I even chose that novel to write about. I've read all the trilogy as and adult (i.e. by choice). Needless to say, I identify more with the "English Chris".

Ah is this the new way to attempt to silence dissent. Rather than call us shades of Tory, we're now far right wing. Not going to work I'm afraid.

If there was like function is have liked your last post Milady. Well said.

*If there was a like function I'd...

The nurses thread had one very dodgy "Britain First" style post and the poster got a kicking for it. Both this thread and that one contain a range of views presented in a broadly respectful manner.