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  • Water-Lilies
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Water-Lilies

T. A. Robertson

Whin da laeves an buds o da water-lilies
Spread roond da loch der dark-green frill
I took my tushkar be Lungawater
An cöst a bank near Stoorbra Hill.

Da hill laek a kummelled boat wis lyin,
Grown ower wi moss ida lang Jöne days,
An white apo white da water-lilies
Whin du cam dere wi me ta raise.

Da stack wis beelt an da coarn gaddered
An dan I hed ta geng awa,
Bit I tink o da lilies aft wi langer,
Noo everything is smoored in snaa.

I tink o dee be da oppen fire,
As du sits an looks at da golden glöd
Laek gold ida cups o white water-lilies
Whaar I drank sweetness afore I göd.


T. A. Robertson

from Laeves fae Vagaland (Shetland Times, 1952), and included in The Collected Poems of Vagaland (Shetland Times, 1975)

Reproduced by permission of Shetland Museum & Archives.

Tags:

crofting flowers Love Shetland Islands Shetlandic Shetlandic unrequited love work

Translations of this Poem

Water-lilies

When the leaves and buds of the water-lilies
Spread round the loch their dark-green frill
I took my peat-cutting spade to Lungawater
And dug up a bank near Stoorbra Hill.

The hill like a hulled boat was laying,
Grown over with moss in the long June days,
And white upon white the water-lilies
When you came there with me to stack the peats.

The stack was built and the portion gathered
And then away I had to go,
But I think of the lilies often with languor,
Now that everything’s smothered in snow.

I think of thee by the open fire,
As you sit and look at the golden glint
Like gold in the cups of white water-lilies
Where I drank sweetness before I went.

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T. A. Robertson1909 - 1973

Vagaland, along with William J. Tait, is the most significant of the Shetland poets of the mid-20th century.
More about T. A. Robertson

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