A man's a man for a' that

It's Burns night and I, like many other Scots I reckon, have come to appreciate our national bard later in life. I was force fed his poetry in school and, as it was with much of the fare on offer, I hated it. But, now that I have gained a modicum of maturity, I have come to love Robert Burns.
What does it say about us as a nation when we scots have chosen to celebrate the life and work of a poet? Not a warrior, an explorer or even a sportsman. No, we choose to remember a man who could write this:-

Ae Fond Kiss

Ae fond kiss, and then we sever!
Ae farewell, and then forever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee.

Who shall say that Fortune grieves him,
While the star of hope she leaves him?
Me, nae cheerfu' twinkle lights me,
Dark despair around benights me.

I'll ne'er blame my partial fancy:
Naething could resist my Nancy!
But to see her was to love her,
Love but her, and love for ever.

Had we never lov'd sae kindly,
Had we never lov'd sae blindly,
Never met - or never parted --
We had ne'er been broken-hearted.

Fare-thee-weel, thou first and fairest!
Fare-thee-weel, thou best and dearest!
Thine be ilka joy and treasure,
Peace, Enjoyment, Love and Pleasure!

Ae fond kiss, and then we sever!
Ae farewell, alas, for ever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee.