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Ebb Draemin By Rhoda Bulter

Rhoda Bulter fondly recalls the people, place and way of life she knew while growing up.

Dir a clear lift da-day an a fresh wind blaain,
Sicca day whin A’m blyde ta be here be me len,
Lookin at Dury Voe risin an faain,
As da saat-brak loops high ower da point a da Taing.
An sittin doon idda ebb wi da maas an da shaalders,
A’m a bairn again, an da years faa awa,
For hit seems Faider Time is jöst faalded his airms,
An hardly been laevin a fit-mett avaa.

I draem a da days whin I linkit ower Hjaarawil;
Da scent a da hedder, da smell a da mör;
Days whin me hert wis as light as a fedder,
An me heaviest burdeen wis da claes at I wör.
Or caain da kye at da height a da simmer,
Swappin a gowan ta nug dem alang;
Playin furt till da light wis nae mair as a glimmer,
Makkin maist a da bounties at every day brang.

Whin da voe lay platt calm wi a fine voar moarneen,
As da dew wis still glansin ower wub an ower girse,
I wid staand klined alang da aest gavel, een glinderin,
An ta da dunters layin-aff below wirs.
Nae discontentment an nae towts a langer,
Nae kyempin or töllyintöllyin or da unken ta faer,
An nae need ta lay up da skabbilaas edder,
For aa at I sowt wis aside me right dere.

I can mind seein da fok kerryin waar ta da middeen,
An dellin da rigs – mebbe fower till a paet;
Dan idda hömin, ootmaagit, an wi löfs haet an sweein,
Dey med hame-ower at last for a weel aerned saet.
Or oot skreevlin coarn wi da mönlight in hairst-time,
Da sprees an da gaffin at aye lightened wark,
Dan da wyshin an penkin an gyaain oot coortin,
At trave every year wi da nights gittin dark.

I mind da coorse days an da gola-laek wadder,
Whin da sea wid be faksin an gyaan idda green,
Dan in ta da fine waarm ön a da fire,
Ta tird da weet soss for a shift dry an clean.
Sae wirsit ta wind an a sok ta be makkin,
Or a kishie a lambs’ kell ta cut fine an smaa,
Keepin time wi da gramophone up idda coarner,
Playin hill-billy music an fiddlers anaa.

Tho da blackbird still kyemps wi da laverik singin,
Da bröls a da kye is lang geen fae da Lea,
Yit here for a meenit da pendulum stops swingin,
Pittin new life an strent gyaan mirlin trowe me.
For everyeen man hae his ain bonhoga,
Dat steede at wis led whin his life wis begun,
Da boo-sten at staands tho da waas might be roanin,
Aert-fast, an aye dere ta be biggit apun.

An love böst ta be dere ta hadd aa-thing tageeder,
Ta light up da gaet fae da cradle ta grave;
An still on, ta dat Light at’s beyond understaandin;
Oot-lestin Time, an da scars he might laeve.
An tho monny dear faces be geen fae aroond me,
An nae langer dir fit-stramp be heard idda wye,
Dir love still gies strent ta geng on, an be keenan,
Dat alto oota sight, dir jöst waitin ower-by.

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