Document 336

A shuttle o soonds

Author(s): Christine De Luca

Copyright holder(s): Christine De Luca

At da time at folk namit da nort end o Eden
a moothfoo o soonds gied frame tae da laand
every bicht, every knowe a wird pictir in Norn.

Dey hed böddies o wirds for da varg o da crofter
soonds o da crö, da crub an da hill: some lost
on da wind owre da flakki o years.

An a kyist-foo o soonds for aa kinds o sea wark
wi a hoidy-hol for queer luckin wirds
stowed far fae wir hearin ta keep herm awa.

Da Norn is lang gien, but hit's left a waageng
at keetchins a tongue at can hadd ony haert
can rowe up wir feelings, unreffel wir tochts.

For every haand's turn still a mird o wird patterns
lik an allover gansey, a wirkin man's sark
med ta be worn, no laid up for best.

We man savour wir wirds is dey tirl on da tongue
lik snorie-ben, sneester an skaddyman's heid
wird laalies fur aabody, no jöst fur bairns.

Fur dey mak da warp in a pattern o livin, while
da weft comes fae places ootbye da Sooth Mooth.
Dey can blend i da waeve wi wir shuttle o soonds.

Da garb o wir language is pitten dagidder
in a wye at maks room fur da new an da auld
baith pipeline an paet-bank; rap artist an skald.

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böddies: straw basket for carrying over the shoulder; varg: messy work; crö: sheep-fold; crub: small, circular, dry-stone enclosure for plants; flakki: straw mat over which corn was winnowed; kyist-foo: kist-full; hoidy-hol: hiding place; luckin: enticing; Norn: a variant of Old Norse spoken in Shetland until 17th century; waageng: aftertaste; hadd ony haert: sustain anyone; rowe up: wrap up; unreffel: untangle; haand's turn: a stroke of work; mird: swarm, throng; allover gansey: jumper with Fair Isle patterns all over; snorie-ben: a toy made from bone and string with a twist which makes a snoring noise; sneester: a private chuckle; skaddyman's heid: sea urchin; laalies: playthings; Sooth Mooth: the south entrance to Lerwick harbour; pitten: put; dagidder: together; auld: old

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A shuttle o soonds