SCOTS Project - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk Document : 331 Title : Da cockle shall (Busta, Sannis) Author(s): Christine De Luca Copyright holder(s): Christine De Luca Text Gyo o Busta, roond is a cockle: we'd watch fur sels here, skip stons, kyemp fur da finest shalls. We'd barely lift wir een ta see hits shape: dat sam shall pattern at spread hitsel owre midders' makkin: therteen loops taen in dan löt oot slowly on an openwark o gengs: waves at shaded ta inky-blueness wi da wind. Da day, hoors swittle trowe dy fingers is du seeks, as eence I sought, da perfect ston ta skip. Tree skips 'll dö, een mair is last year. Da rings du maks spread fast. Last simmer here eicht selkies bobbed lik bowes: eyed wis, dived, eyed wis again. Dey left nae spreadin rings: art hoidin artistry. I watch dy ston dance, defy da wyes o watter, da skip o years. Wi dee a'm richt back: we skile fur sels, seek cockle shalls, weigh da import o stons; skip an höve dem, fur da sea ta bring back, ta lay up and mak again in time's lap. ___ da cockle shall: a lace pattern in knitting (which requires 13 stitches to be purled together); gyo: steep, narrow inlet; sels, selkies: seals; kyemp: compete; shalls: sea shells; wir: our; een: eyes; hits: its; dat, that: at: that, which; hitsel: itself; midder: mother; makkin: knitting; loops: stitches; taen: taken; dan: then; löt: let (past tense); openwark: lace knitting; gengs: rows of knitting; da day: today; hoors: hours; swittle: splash gently; trowe: through; dy: your (familiar); du: you (familiar); dö: do; een: one; is: as, than; maks: makes, knits; eicht: eight; bowes: buoys; wis: us; dey: they; hoidin: hiding; wyes: ways; dee: you (familiar); skile: look with eyes shielded; höve: throw; dem: them; lay up: cast on stitches. 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: 292 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