Scots Poem of the Month - January 2005

Acid Burns Moose, moose, moose, moose, moose         Moose, moose, moose, moose, moose By yon bonnie banks go burn the hoose doon By yon bonnie banks go burn the hoose doon By yon bonnie banks go burn the hoose doon By yon bonnie banks go burn the hoose doon         Ha, where ye gaun, ye crowlan ferlie By yon bonnie banks go burn the hoose doon By yon bonnie banks go burn the hoose doon By yon bonnie bonnie gonnie burn the hoose doon By yon bonnie bonnie gonnie burn the hoose doon         Thy poor earth-born companion                     Pump up the bogles                     Pump up the bogles By yon bonnie banks go burn the hoose doon By yon bonnie banks go burn the hoose doon                     Hoose                     Hoose                     Hoose                     Hoose Thurs a poem in the hoose                in the hoose                in the hoose Thurs a poem in the hoose                in the poem                in the hoose Thurs a moose in the poem                in the poem                in the poem Thurs a moose in the poem in the hoose By yon bonnie banks go bonnie bonnie bonnie bonnie     yon bonnie banks go bonnie bonnie bonnie bonnie           Welcome           To your           Gory bed wee           Sleekit           Tim'rous           Hoose. Thurs a louse in the house                     in the house                     in the house Thurs a louse on the moose                     in the hoose                     in the poem Thurs a louse in the house     ana moose on the loose Thurs a moose on the loose in the hoose. BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBY yon bonnie banks go burn the hoose     doon By yon bonnie banks go burn the hoose doon Burnin           Burnin                     Burnin                               Burnin                                         HOOSE! By Mike Cullen

About the poet Born in Glasgow in 1959, Mike Cullen always wanted to be a rock star, and sadly, still hopes to achieve this before drawing his pension. Meanwhile, he writes extensively for theatre and television. His stage plays include The Cut, The Collection, and Anna Weiss, which premiered at the Traverse Theatre Edinburgh, in 1998, subsequently transferring to London's West End. Anna Weiss has now been translated into ten languages, and has been performed in twelve countries worldwide. It is about to receive a premiere in Brazil. Mike's television credits include McCallum, Touching Evil, Taggart, Hornblower, The Vice, and Donovan. He has just completed a new series of Donovan, which he devised, to be shown in 2005, starring Tom Conti. He has also completed an original drama for Granada Television, called Flesh and Blood, which will be shown in 2005. Mike is currently working on a feature film adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Master of Ballantrae", with Clerkenwell Films and Scottish Screen. Mike lives in Haddington with his wife Lesley and daughter Lynsey, and is heavily involved in local community projects, especially the annual Haddfest music festival in Haddington, which in turn supports the local Bridge Centre Music Project. Still convinced that rock stardom is just around the corner, Mike will be seen throughout Scotland in 2005 with his new band, Big Wave.

If you have enjoyed this poem, you can borrow a range of poetry from the Scottish Poetry Library, who also lend by post. Telephone 0131 557 2876 or e-mail reception@spl.org.uk for more information. For an online catalogue, poetry events listings and more featured poems, please visit the Scottish Poetry Library website.