The Portmoak Players performing at the Garden Party in the Michael Bruce Cottage

Honouring 'The Gentle Poet of Loch Leven'

Tuesday July 18 2017

The Very Rev Dr Angus Morrison, minister of Orwell and Portmoak, describes the commemoration of a local poet who died, tragically young, 250 years ago this year.

^{Professor David Munro, chair of the Michael Bruce Trust, speaking at the garden party commemorating Bruce's life.}

This year marks the 250^th anniversary of the death, on July 6 1767, of the Kinnesswood-born Michael Bruce, affectionately known as The Gentle Poet of Loch Leven.

The son of a hand loom weaver, Michael gave early promise of exceptional literary talent. Had he lived beyond the young age of 21, there is no doubt that the full flowering of his poetic talents would have led to national recognition. Robert Burns was influenced by a number of his lines.

In his short life, Michael Bruce wrote more than 40 poems, the most famous being his Ode to the Cuckoo. He also composed 12 Scottish Paraphrases (or ‘Gospel Sonnets’), among them, ‘O God of Bethel! By whose hand’; ‘Behold! The mountain of the Lord’; and ‘Where high the heav’nly temple stands’.

Bruce was preparing for Christian ministry when his life was cut short. He passed away in the same Kinnesswood cottage in which he had been born. The cottage (‘The Michael Bruce Cottage’) is maintained as a museum by the Michael Bruce Trust under the chairmanship of Professor David Munro.

Each year, on the first Sunday of July, a service of commemoration for Michael Bruce is held in Portmoak Church. A guest preacher usually delivers the sermon and this year we were delighted to welcome the Revd Douglas Nicol, minister at Denholm in the Borders. In a richly insightful address, Douglas reflected on Jesus’ words, ‘Consider the lilies’, illustrating the message from the deep influence on Bruce of the natural and ‘gentle’ beauty of his native environment. At the close of the well-attended service, according to custom, a wreath was laid by the Trust’s chairman at the grave in the churchyard of our ‘gentle poet’.

^{The Rev Douglas Nicol, the Very Rev Dr Angus Morrison and Prof David Munro at Michael Bruce's grave}

On the previous Saturday, to mark this special anniversary, a Garden Party was held in the grounds of the Michael Bruce Cottage. It was a happy time of celebration. We enjoyed readings from Bruce’s works, storytelling and music specially composed for the anniversary by Iain Dunnett a young and talented musician. The wonderful Portmoak Players kept us well entertained.

The following Monday morning a number of us took the opportunity to walk the scenic Michael Bruce Way - a 3 mile/ 5 kilometre walk. Previously known as the Tetley Trail, the trail was officially reopened in June 2008 as the Michael Bruce Way, by George Reid, former Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament. Walking this way, with its marvellous views of the surrounding countryside and of Loch Leven, it is not difficult to appreciate the source of the inspiration felt by Bruce to write his wonderful nature poetry. He was always concerned that appreciation of the natural would lead us upwards to nature’s God, whose goodness and beauty are reflected in it all. Verses from Bruce’ poems are found all along the route. An excellent 55-page booklet, Where Poets Dream’d. A guide to the Michael Bruce Way, written by Professor Munro, was published in 2013.

I hope that readers will be encouraged to visit this beautiful part of Kinross-shire, learn more about our ‘gentle poet’, walk the Michael Bruce Way and to visit his cottage, containing many fascinating items, which lies on the trail. Surrounded everywhere by some of Scotland’s most glorious scenery, a memorable day out is guaranteed.