SCOTS Project - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk Document : 332 Title : Reefed in Author(s): Christine De Luca Copyright holder(s): Christine De Luca Text Fedaland c 1887 Dis is wir hidmost simmer here at Fedaland. Twal ton a olicks fur a saison's wark: spleet eence apo da beach ta dry, but spleet again bi da swing o da bismar's reckonin. I sall miss da simmers on da outer rim; da bluntin wind at lifts da sail, keeps wirds clos ta her breest. An A'll miss da tilfer underfit, da gunwale's tilt, relief when da green heicht o Fedaland comes near. Foo fine hit wis apon a simmer's nicht, ta lay da boat aff fae da aester ayre; ta sit on da briggistane, broch at wir backs; let faa da fear, recount da bravery. I sall miss da beach at sheens lik mackreel scales, da spreadin sillerweed, ticht glims o gowld; tirricks liftin in a tirse, scarfs swaapin on da craigs an weel kent stacks an taings an peerie gyos. But A'll no miss da factor's graspin haand, his tongue sharp is da horn aff da waster ayre; nor da tocht at der's naethin ta shaa fur a saison's strug, naethin ta fill a winter press. Na, far mair I sall miss da sicht o a ranksman at da haaf; a glisk o licht on his sail is we rin for hom, reefed in, ridin da vaelensi - no aert fast - seekin a noost at da nort end o a nordern laand. ___ dis: this; wir: our; hidmost: final; twal: twelve; olicks: young ling; spleet: split; eence: once; apo, apon: on; da: the; ta: to; bi: by; bismar: wooden beam used for weighing goods; sall: shall; at: that; wirds: words; clos: close; tilfer: floor plank in a boat; foo: how; hit: it; wis: was; aff: off; aester: lying towards the east; briggistane: path of flat stones laid in front of house; mackreel: mackerel; sillerweed: silverweed; glim: gleam; gowld: gold; tirricks: arctic tern; tirse: temper, agitation; scarfs: shags; swaapin: beating their wings; craigs: flat rocks by the shore; taings: flat promentaries; peerie: little; gyo: deep, narrow inlet; no: not; horn: rocky stack shaped like a horn; waster: lying towards the west; tocht: thought; at: that; shaa: show; strug: hard work; ranksman: one of two boats which fished in pairs for mutual aid; haaf: deep sea fishing grounds; glisk: glimpse; vaelensi: violent gale; aert-fast: fixed firmly in the ground; noost: hollow at edge of beach where boat is drawn up for safety. This work is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. The SCOTS Project and the University of Glasgow do not necessarily endorse, support or recommend the views expressed in this document. Information about document and author: Text Text audience Adults (18+): General public: Males: Females: Audience size: 100+ Text details Method of composition: Wordprocessed Year of composition: 1995 Word count: 404 General description: From collection of poems Text medium Book: Text publication details Published: Publisher: Shetland Library Publication year: 1997 Place of publication: Lerwick ISBN/ISSN: 0-904562-64-6 Edition: 1st Part of a longer series of texts: Name of series: 'Wast wi da Valkyries' Text type Poem/song/ballad: Author Author details Author id: 120 Forenames: Christine Surname: De Luca Gender: Female Decade of birth: 1940 Educational attainment: University Age left school: 18 Upbringing/religious beliefs: Protestantism Occupation: Head of Assessment, Research and Development Place of birth: Bressay Region of birth: Shetland Birthplace CSD dialect area: Sh Country of birth: Scotland Place of residence: Edinburgh Region of residence: Edinburgh Residence CSD dialect area: Edb Country of residence: Scotland Father's occupation: Headmaster Father's place of birth: Vidlin Father's region of birth: Shetland Father's birthplace CSD dialect area: Sh Father's country of birth: Scotland Mother's occupation: Primary Teacher Mother's place of birth: Cunningsburgh Mother's region of birth: Shetland Mother's birthplace CSD dialect area: Sh Mother's country of birth: Scotland Languages: Language: English Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: All Language: Scots Speak: No Read: Yes Write: No Understand: Yes Circumstances: Work, read Scots literature