BYU’s Lee Library celebrates poet Robert Burns with new exhibit

Brigham Young University’s L. Tom Perry Special Collections is celebrating the 250th birthday of the poet Robert Burns with the exhibit, “Robert Burns and the Poetic Image.”

The exhibit, featuring a collection of Burns’ writing, replaces the bronze Roman plates exhibit at the library entrance. The Scottish national poet was known as a poet of both middle- and working-class values, which were opposed to each other.

“Burns has been popular with diverse audiences over the past two centuries, from Victorian proponents of family values in the 19th century to socialists in the 20th century,” said Matthew Wickman, BYU associate professor of English and co-curator of the exhibit. “The qualities of his poetry enabled people to see in him an image of themselves.”

The exhibit features first edition collections of Burns’ poems and songs, biographies, illustrated editions of his books and even locket-sized editions of his poetry. Wickman and co-curator Maggie Gallup have assembled the exhibit in conjunction with Scottish Poetry Month celebrations.

For more information, contact Roger Layton at (801) 422-6687.