To Suffie, Last Of The Buchan Fishwives

To Suffie, Last Of The Buchan Fishwives

Garry, Flora

A fish creel wi a wife aneth't
Steed at wir kitchen door.
A sma' quine grat at the wild-like shape
She'd nivver seen afore.

Ye cam fae anidder warl, Suffie,
Amo' hiz lan'ward folk,
The sough o the sea in the vera soon'
O the words ye spoke.

Oor wyes warna yours, we nivver vrocht
Wi net nor line
Nor guttin knife, nor fan on haggert thoom
The stang o the brine.

We niver hid to flee demintit
Tull the pier-heid,
Nor harken tull the heerican at midnicht,
Caul' wi dreid.

Spring efter Spring, or the teuchat's storm wis past
Ye wannert the road,
Heid tull the sleepy win' an boo't twa-faal,
Shoodrin yer load.

Simmer parks war kin'lier tull yer feet
Gin steens an styoo.
Bit fyles the stirkies chase't ye.
Fa wis feart? Them or you?

Yon bricht huddry buss that wis eence yer hair
Is grizzl't noo,
An ower lang scannin o the sea his bleach't
Yer een's blue.

Wark an dule an widder sharpit yer face
Tull skin ower been,
As the tides tormint an futtle
A sma' fite steen.

Weel, umman, noo it's lowsin-time, we wuss
For you a fylie's ease;
Syne, at the hinmost wa'gyaan,
Quaet seas.

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The Estate of Flora Garry 1995
Flora Garry's Collected Poems are available from Steve Savage Publishers Ltd.
http://www.savagepublishers.com