Alang tha Shore

Author: Philip Robinson

Date: 2004

Source: Ullans: The Magazine for Ulster-Scots, Nummer 9 and 10 Wunter 2004

Philip Robinson

rowing boat

A hae mind, whun we wur weans,

A guid nicht’s spoart wus cloddin stanes.

Oor playgrun wus alang tha shore,

Wat roaks tae clim an sprachle owre.

Tha batthrie waa, whun tides wur in,

Oor changin place afore we swum.

Tha roaks an saun whun tides wur oot,

Wae wreck an willicks skail’d aboot.

We’d fish fur blockan mang tha wreck,

Or coup a boulder on its bak.

Thon sudden licht gart hoochin stairt,

Or whiles a crubbin’s claas wud pairt.

But then we growed intae oor teens,

Wae chasin hizzies mair tha scene.

We left tha shore tae hunt inlann,

Roon Toon-Haw daunce an chippie van.

An sae tae ast yin oot a date,

In picthur-hoose, boys! bak-raa sate!

Sich tangl’t bakes lake limpets clamp’t,

Til lumberin twa’s tha torchie damp’t.

An then afore we knowed tha score,

Gaun steadie tuk iz far frae shore;

Tha mair we’d whiles waak han-in-han

Alang some ither streetch o lan.

It’s jist in later years, A doot,

Whun oul an daen, an niver oot,

Tha thocht o willick-hoakin weans

Wull tak me tae tha shore mae lane.

An even whun A’m rannèrin,

Jist in ma heid gaun dannèrin

Amang tha roaks whaur we wud hide,

A’ll watch tha last, laich even-tide.

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