Wast wi da Valkyries

Dark burn ta voe, a rinkel

bi Nederdale, trist slow slockit

in a sea-baaled ayre. At da beach

ο Dale, noosts gaan at Foula, turn

vod een ta her shaalds. Fae Muness

shö’s held in an artist’s haand:

Valhalla, veiled paradise, built

lik a saga ta swall ta her heichts

wi every seein, every tellin. Winjanes

means whit hit’s aye meant:

headland fur pasture. Ponies

startle dere, tak ta da hill.

Der manes lift lik a dizzen Valkyries

fleein da battle. Laand an sea

is still a skirmish. Unawaar,

selkies rowl i da laebrack,

bask safely on Sel Ayre.

An kittiwakes cruise: effortless

rollerbladers ο da banks.

Da erne at eence ruled dem

is lang gien fae his stack.

Every sea bicht riven

fae Dale ta Deep Dale

has jaws risped wi yackles.

Time is mizzered here

bi da sea’s favours: a tirse

ο takkin, grindin,

an endless beachin; but far wis,

travaillers ο da was tern aedge,

hit’s a time ta tak, ta pick owre

gaets wir taen, or no taen,

on dis wir langest vaege.

1995

wast: west; da: the; Valkyries: Norse goddesses who conducted the slain from the battlefield to Valhalla; ta: to; rinkel: tinkling noise; bi: past, by; trist: thirst; slockit: slaked; baaled: thrown; noosts: beach hollows to shelter  boats; gaan: gaze; vod: empty, unoccupied; een: eyes; shaalds: shallows (fishing grounds); shö: she; whit: what; hit: it; dere: there; der: their; dizzen: dozen; selkies, sels: seals; rowl: roll; i: in; laebrack: surf; banks: sea cliffs; erne: sea eagle; eence: once; dem: them; gien: gone; bicht: bite; riven: torn; aedged: edged; risped: from noun risp, a rasp or file; yackles: molars; mizzered: measured; tirse: an agita tion, temper; takkin: taking; wis: us; travaillers: walkers; owre: over; gaets: paths: wir. we have, our; taen: taken; dis: this; vaege: journey