skip to main navigation

Moarnin ida Kames By Laureen Johnson

Winter commuting, Shetland-style

Read By Laureen Johnson

As day comes fae darkness
da brokken line ta Lerook
meets da brokken line ta Sullom Voe.

Somewye ower yunder,
blinnd, ahint light, is
wir opposite numbers,
goin whaar we’re come fae,
red against white,
sidie for sidie laek train-tracks
on da railwye we never hed.

Passengers nestled an neibin aff,
stymin trow steam at broos an greyness
an Hookem ahead;
wis at da wheel
watchin da tail-lights,
steady in speed
feelin for frost.

We’re filed in fae ferries,
smooted in fae side-rodds,
linkit up at lochs,
een or twa here, een or twa dere,
till here we all go past Pettawater,
da moarnin line-up:
da cheery, da spruce,
da scunnered an da raamished,
ta da nyeetle o fiddles,
da shapp o rap,
da töd o wadder forecasts,
Wogan an SIBC,
an news fae dem on da Kingston Bridge,
da city bypass an da M25,
aa makkin less headwye as wis drivin
inta da sunrise a dizzen times ower
atween hame an da toon.

back on top