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  • Harbour
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Harbour

Alison Flett

ah kent yi wir cummin
an goin
thi ebb an flo
o ma
body clenchin
letting go
clenchin
letting go

lets go
down tay thi harbour
ah sayz tay ma lassy
ma first born
see thi boats cummin in

an we stood taygither
at the endy thi peer
lookn outwards
trine tay mind oan
thi namesy thi boats

cum hame boy gordon
we called oot
cum hame girl mina
john L

cum hame two belles
storm drift
silver wave

cum hame sunrise
radiant queen

an they came
rite inuff
thi way they do
thi tiny black spex o thum
pulsin larger
taywords us

over wottur
sun frostid
rippuld
rinkuld
like bathroom glass
hidin deep
domestic secrests

ma body clenched
again
deepur
and ah reeched doon
tay clasp
thi smilin hand
o ma first one

taygether we watched
thi big ball o sun
slip slowly
smoothly
over thi ej
o oor wurld
and inty
anuthur


Alison Flett

from Whit Lassyz Ur Inty (Thirsty Books, 2004)

Reproduced by permission of the author.

Tags:

Orkney Islands ports & harbours Scotland Scots
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Alison Flettb.1965

Alison Flett, a poet and short story writer, was born in Edinburgh and now lives in Australia.
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