Robert Burns was born in Alloway, Ayrshire, January 25, 1759. He was the eldest of seven children born to William Burness, a struggling tenant farmer, and his wife, Agnes Broun.(Encarta) Although poverty limited his education, His skill as a wordsmith is second only to that of Shakespeare. He is the consummate poet. He was raised amidst the folk culture of the Lowland countryside. The songs and stories he heard were spoken in Scottish - a language …showed first 75 words of 1574 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1574 total…heroic verse. Now, of course, Burns fans the world over commemorate the Bard's birthday with their own dinners. And one thing that has stood the test of time and still plays its central part is the haggis. Burns Suppers have been part of Scottish culture for about 200 years as a means of commemorating Scotland’s beloved bard. And when Burns immortalized haggis in verse he created a central link that is maintained to this day.