James Woodburn Dunlop

I was in Kilmarnock on Saturday the 22nd July 2017 to explore Sidderybrae and Asloss.

In preparation for a film about the Laird who first recognised brilliance in Rabbie Burns.

In Kilmarnock Churchyard I spotted a relief of a young man on an otherwise insignificant monument. I was drawn to his representation.

Underneath the relief of James Woodburn Dunlop, who died aged “19 years and 6 months” was this quote by Milton:

“So Lycidas, sunk low, but mounted high,
Through the dear might of him that walk’d the waves”

This was poem written for Edward King, a fellow-student of Milton’s at Cambridge, and also an aspiring poet, who had drowned.

LYCIDAS:

To play this short film please click here or on the image above.