From: hhenderson@vax.clarku.edu
Subject: Celebrating McGonagall
Organization: Clark University
Date: 31 DEC 92 18:50:19 GMT

It's been the tradition in our household to celebrate Robert Burns
Night (January 25th) with a supper, complete with haggis, whisky,
and the requisite music and recitations.  Much as I love Burns,
however, I thought this year we might try something different: a
McGonagall Night.  William McGonagall (1825-1902) was one of the
lesser lights of Victorian poetry -- indeed, some would say, among
the very dimmest lights -- a handloom weaver from Dundee who styled
himself a Poet and Tragedian.  Those who have been exposed to his
deathless verse can never quite forget it.

Various e-mail contacts in Scotland have searched in vain for the
exact date of McGonagall's birth, so that we could celebrate it. 
But nobody seems to know his exact birthdate, so we chose December
28th as the date for a McGonagall fest, since we are told that was
the date of the Tay Bridge collapse in 1879.  McGonagall attained
the height of his powers when inspired by disasters, and the Tay
Bridge tragedy moved him to write this, one of his most memorable
efforts:

     _The Tay Bridge Disaster_

     Beautiful Railway Bridge of the Silv'ry Tay!
     Alas!  I am very sorry to say
     That ninety lives have been taken away
     On the last Sabbath day of 1879,
     Which will be remembered for a very long time.

     'Twas about seven o'clock at night,
     And the wind blew with all its might,
     And the rain came pouring down,
     And the dark clouds seem'd to frown,
     And the Demon of the air seem'd to say --
     "I'll blow down the Bridge of Tay."

     When the train left Edinburgh
     The passengers' hearts were light and felt no sorrow,
     But Boreas blew a terrific gale,
     Which made their hearts for to quail,
     And many of the passengers with fear did say --
     "I hope God will send us safe across the Bridge of Tay."

     But when the train came near to Wormit Bay,
     Boreas he did loud and angry bray,
     And shook the central girders of the Bridge of Tay
     On the last Sabbath day of 1879,
     Which will be remember'd for a very long time.

     So the train sped on with all its might,
     And Bonnie Dundee soon hove in sight,
     And the passengers' hearts felt light,
     Thinking they would enjoy themselves on the New Year,
     With their friends at home they lov'd most dear,  
     And wish them all a Happy New Year.

     So the train mov'd slowly along the Bridge of Tay,
     Until it was about midway,
     Then the central girders with a crash gave way,
     And down went the train and passengers into the Tay!
     The Storm Fiend did loudly bray,
     Because ninety lives had been taken away,
     On the last Sabbath day of 1879,
     Which will be remember'd for a very long time.

     As soon as the catastrophe came to be known
     The alarm from mouth to mouth was blown,
     And the cry rang out all o'er the town,
     Good Heavens!  The Tay Bridge is blown down,
     And a passenger train from Edinburgh,
     Which fill'd all the people's hearts with sorrow,
     And made them for to turn pale,
     Because none of the passengers were sav'd to tell the tale
     How the disaster happen'd on the last Sabbath day of 1879
     Which will be remember'd for a very long time.

     It must have been an awful sight,
     To witness in the dusky moonlight,
     While the Storm Fiend did laugh, and angry did bray,
     Along the Railway Bridge of the Silv'ry Tay,
     Oh!  Ill-fated Bridge of the Silv'ry Tay,
     I must now conclude my lay
     By telling the world fearlessly without the least dismay,
     That your central girders would not have given way,
     At least many sensible men do say,
     Had they been supported on each side by buttresses,
     At least many sensible men do confesses,
     For the stronger we our houses do build,
     The less chance we have of being killed.


When read aloud properly, this poem causes a far greater sensation
than "Tam O'Shanter".

Heather
HHENDERSON@vax.clarku.edu
Newsgroups: rec.arts.books,news.answers