Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, [email protected]  

CANYON, Texas — A particularly timely poem is the focus of the January installment of West Texas A&M University’s Great Books Series. 

Dr. Patricia Tyrer, WT’s Jenny Lind Porter Professor of English, will lead the discussion of Robert Burns’ well-known “Auld Lang Syne” at 7 p.m. Jan. 11 via Zoom. 

Traditionally sung at midnight on New Year’s Eve, “Auld Lang Syne” bids farewell to the old year. 

“I realized at New Year’s that most Americans have no idea what the words are to this song, yet every year there are crowds of Americans mumbling through the words on New Year’s Eve,” Tyrer said.  

Burns isn’t considered the author of the poem, Tyrer said. Instead, he’s credited with recording the words of it and many other old Scottish songs and poems. 

“He was offered recompense for recording these for posterity but turned it down as he saw that it was his duty for the Scots people,” Tyrer said. “Although the language of Scotland is English, many with varied dialects, Burns was most interested in keeping the Scots language saved for posterity.” 

The discussion series — sponsored by the Department of English, Philosophy and Modern Languages — is open to those who either have or haven’t read the book, said Dr. Daniel Bloom, organizer and associate professor of philosophy. 

WT professors and guest lecturers lead the monthly discussions. 

The series began in 2011 and is traditionally held in person on the second Tuesday of the month at Burrowing Owl Books, 7406 S.W. 34th Ave., Suite 2B, in Amarillo. It shifted to Zoom during the Covid-19 pandemic; a return to in-person meetings is expected to occur in coming months. 

To register for the January discussion, email Bloom at [email protected]. 

The series is one way in which WT serves the region by offering engagement with a variety of literary and philosophical texts. Being a learner-centered university is a key principle of the University’s long-term plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World. That plan is fueled by the historic, $125 million One West comprehensive fundraising campaign. 

To date, the campaign has raised more than $85 million. 

About West Texas A&M University 

WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of about 10,000 and offers 60 undergraduate degree programs, 40 master’s degrees and two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.