Water-Lilies
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.
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.
