SCOTS Project - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk Document : 608 Title : A Keek intae the hospital kitchen aifter the appointment wi the O.T. Author(s): Maureen Sangster Copyright holder(s): Maureen Sangster Text This wis a lang drawin o a wey o life: I sa sair shadows beatin a fite tiled wa: Fan blades owerheid - tae me like sickles, Yet like the pechin pulsation o a muckle trapped bird, An like lobster I sa aince that crawled, Wi agonisin will, claws upon the slidderie ice Amang aquatic companionship, bit deid: Goamless fish on the slabbed windae In a fishmonger's shop in Stockbridge; It wis despair I felt wis flyin Ever mair trauchled throu the air. Bit nae birds were bein biled ava! We dinna eat great birds in Scotland. Insteid, there wis the hint o fish: The weemen wi hair up in net caps An skinklin aprons made me think o days gaun by, O herring queans guttin. An those eesome ghaists, fish-scaled Were veesitin, the blin oors o Daith forgot The mobiles o their jeel-cauld hans Doon noo in the holie o the kitchen, Reddin up, helpin oot. I hud a sort o yearnin for the lilt o the job, Trays bein straiked aff, the slubbery Fleer swept then scoured The wappin orange crates heized high, The hygienic jimp gloves - Fingers like marrow inby fingers - I wes begottit! The pooer o the place. A stramash o a domain - wi rules, pouin oan ma hert. Nae bletherin or dirdum amang The clatter o wheels o whurlan trolleys, Skoosh o watter in tomb-size sinks. Fowk werena wastin Time Bit were mairriet tae him An huddin him tae the tide o dishes! To hae a place in the scheme o things, I thocht - a blinkin sliver o Chance Afore Daith packs ice roon me. 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 General public: Audience size: 1000+ Text details Method of composition: Handwritten Year of composition: 2000 Word count: 273 Text medium Other: Pamphlet Text publication details Published: Publisher: Kettillonia Publication year: 2002 Place of publication: Fife ISBN/ISSN: 190294416X Text setting Leisure/entertainment: Private/personal: Text type Poem/song/ballad: Author Author details Author id: 249 Forenames: Maureen Surname: Sangster Gender: Female Decade of birth: 1950 Educational attainment: University Age left school: 18 Upbringing/religious beliefs: Protestantism Place of birth: Aberdeen Region of birth: Aberdeen Birthplace CSD dialect area: Abd Country of birth: Scotland Place of residence: Kirkcaldy Region of residence: Fife Residence CSD dialect area: Fif Country of residence: Scotland Father's occupation: Teacher Father's place of birth: St Fergus Father's region of birth: Buchan Father's birthplace CSD dialect area: Buchan Father's country of birth: Scotland Mother's occupation: Teacher Mother's place of birth: Skene Mother's region of birth: Aberdeen Mother's birthplace CSD dialect area: Abd Mother's country of birth: Scotland Languages: Language: English Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: For general use Language: Scots Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: In Scots-speaking company. Poetry writing/readings