This is the most comprehensive anthology of Shetland poetry yet published. John and Lollie Graham have collected the finest of Shetland's poetry from the very beginnings, both in dialect and in English, and there is a great richness. Included are poets such as Haldane Burgess, Vagaland, Rhoda Bulter and Christine De Luca.
INTRODUCTION
In 1942 the first substantial collection of poems in the Shetland dialect was compiled by Peter Jamieson and Bertie Deyell, prominent members of the Shetland Poetical Circle, later the Shetland Writers Group. They had sifted old newspapers and defunct magazines as well as the occasional book, and retrieved many gems, now recognised as classics, from the works of L. J. Nicolson, James Stout Angus, Haldane Burgess, Jack Peterson and others. Sir Herbert Grierson was invited to reduce the selection to some two dozen poems and write an introduction, with the objective of having an anthology published when the war ended.
Post-war upheaval left the introduction incomplete and the collection has languished ootadaeks until now, during which period we have enjoyed a great richness in poetry. The scale of the resulting anthology - now over two hundred poems - reflects these "fat years", but it is good to note that nearly all the original Jamieson-Deyell selection has been included by John and Lollie Graham.
THE EDITORS
GRAHAM, John J. (1921) Born Lerwick. M.A. of Edinburgh University 1950. Taught English at the Anderson Educational Institute 1950-1966; Headmaster of Lerwick Central Secondary School 1966-1970; then of Anderson High School until retirement in 1982. Co-author of Grammar and Usage of the Shetland Dialect and Nordern Lichts - an anthology of Shetland poetry and prose for schools. Published The Shetland Dictionary, A vehement thirst after knowledge and two historical novels set in Shetland - Shadowed Valley and Strife in the Valley. Co-editor of The New Shetlander from 1956-1998.
GRAHAM, Laurence I. (1924) Born Stromfirth, Weisdale. M.A. of Edinburgh University 1948; Headteacher of Urafirth Primary School and Gott Primary School. Taught also at Scalloway Junior Secondary and Anderson Institute. Edited Shetland Crofters (1986) and co-edited MacDiarmid in Shetland (1992). Co-editor of The New Shetlander from 1956-1998.
SAMPLE POEMS
FULL LIST OF POEMS IN THE ANTHOLOGY
- Early Poetry
- The Hildina Ballad
- Translation into English
- The Unst Lay (a fragment)
- King Orfeo
- Unst Boat Sang
- Helya's Night Prayer
- The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry
- Bressay Lullaby
- Minnie o Shirva's Cradle Sang
- George Stewart (1825-1911)
- Da Boatman's Sang
- James Stout Angus (1830-1923)
- Eels II, Eels III
- Voar - Tiesday, Försday, Saturday
- Da Kokkiluri
- Da Lad at was Taen in Voar
- New Year Verses
- Jessie M. E. Saxby (1842-1940)
- Da Moder Dy
- James Inkster (c.1843-1927)
- Da Livelihorn
- L. J. Nicolson (1844-1901)
- Restin da Fire
- Giordano Bruno
- Felo de se
- Basil R. Anderson (1861-1888)
- Auld Maunsie's Crö
- Comin fae da Hill
- Fram
- Livin Colls an Cauld Clods
- The Busy Street (verses 2 and 4)
- J. J. Haldane Burgess (1862-1927)
- Scranna
- Da Restit Fire
- Da Blyde-maet
- Hiss! Sigg Him!
- Da Oobin Wind
- Dokkins
- Boocin Baabie
- Sensible ta da Last
- Jubilee Ode
- Banks-flooers
- The Golden Grain
- T. P. Ollason (1865-1908)
- Oh,Shö,Shö
- Christina Jamieson (1866-1942)
- Da Bogle Ree
- 1933
- John Nicolson (1876-1951)
- Da Sang o da Fisher Lad
- Da New Mön
- Jane Saxby (1877-1951)
- Fram
- William Stewart (1886-1916)
- A Pectifil Story
- William Porteous (1887-1917)
- Will 1 Finn Dee
- Walter Shewan (1892-1949)
- Jeemie's Geen
- Elizabeth J. Smith (1894-1991)
- Da Biggins o Burland
- Da Paet-Stack
- John Peterson (1895-1972)
- Da Corbie
- Aald Boat
- Ponies
- Crofts
- Sail-boat
- Out There
- Seine Netters
- Great Wars
- Peter Jamieson (1898-1976)
- Da Wheel o Time
- Sang
- Laurence Moar
- Da Boanni Fisher Lass (efter Heinrich Heine)
- Emily Milne (1904-1970)
- Aald Mam's Odd ta da Sooth-aest Wind
- Sunday Böts
- Da Waa
- Da Wiss
- Da Shair
- Kin Du Mind?
- Vagaland (1909-1973)
- Kwarna Farna?
- Water-lilies
- Ship-lack
- "Bound is the Boatless Man"
- Starka Virna
- Hjalta
- Da Sneug Wal
- Da Selkie Wife
- A Skyinbow o Tammy's
- October Poppy
- Ad Pyrrham (translation from the Latin of Horace, Book I, Ode V)
- Shetlanrie
- Sea Rocket
- Alamootie
- Haern Tochts
- Love o My Hert
- Beach of Bright Pebbles
- Simmer Sang
- Hamish Bowie (1912)
- On Reading Shelley's Ozymandias
- William J. Talt (1918-1992)
- Lux in Tenebris
- Furnenst da Day
- All that I have Possessed
- Hjarta
- Whin Du is Aald (translation of 'Pour Helene' by Ronsard)
- Sonnet (translation of 'Recueillement' by Baudelaire)
- Gallow Hill
- Da Ill Wind
- Fey
- The Contracting Universe
- A Day Atween Wadders
- The Gift (1949)
- A Hogmanay Sermon
- Da Kollyshang (translation of 'Le Debat' by Villon)
- An Ill Name (translation of 'La Mauvaise Réputation' by Georges Brassens)
- Eventide
- Stewart Smith (1918-1970)
- Spring
- Winter
- Da Wirm Creeps
- Shaila Sang
- James G. Smith (1919-1996)
- Idleness
- Ill Wird
- John J. Graham (1921)
- Unidentified
- Sang
- Tammasmass 1950
- 23rd Psalm (translation into Shetlandic)
- Laurence I. Graham (1924)
- Retired Crofter
- Aald Maalie
- Windy Nicht (a poem for five voices)
- Da Ill Wind
- For a Birthday
- Jessie Nicol (1924)
- Lost
- Stella Sutherland (1924)
- Da Night at Christ was Boarn
- Aa My Selves
- Da Leddy Body
- At Da Croft Museum
- Midder
- Da Time an da Tön
- Celandine
- A Celebration
- As it was Meant to Be
- Shetland Ewe
- Shadows
- Lots of Love
- Any Poet
- King-Com-A-Lee
- That Good Summer
- Jack Renwick (1924)
- Minefield
- Winter Comes In
- Geese Coming Home
- Sullom Voe, 1976
- Decline and Fall
- Highflyer
- Stallion
- Da Last Laandfaa
- Ower da Soond
- Grund Ebb in Eden
- Janet Hughson Smith (1926)
- Wind Westerly
- Life's a Bitch
- The Forsaken Tower
- Rhoda Bulter (1929-1994)
- Fladdabister
- Da Gaet
- Da Clearance
- Aald Daa
- Da Maara
- Böl my Sheep
- Wir Inheritance
- Da Sloo
- Da Oater i da Trap
- Da Boags' Spree
- Macarism
- A Coorse Day
- Sensible Fok
- Barbara Moodie's Sang
- Caald Clods an Tinder
- Da Hairst Ree
- Neeborly Feelin
-
- Mary Ellen Odie (1932)
- Da Nort
- George P. S. Peterson (1933)
- Dee an Me
- Da Hairst Is In
- Contrasts
- Neddergrind
- Ta da Memory o Vagaland
- Wendy Gear (1933)
- Purchasin Pooer
- Man, hae wit!
- Mckenzie Cash (1937)
- Yesterday's End
- Castles in the Sea
- Da Eart o Heim
- Da Death o a Lowe
- Janette Eunson (1940)
- Da Winter Geo
- Da Simmer Geo
- Sheepdog
- Christian Tait (1940)
- Senility
- Confession
- Haiku for Ronas Voe
- J. Laughton Johnston (1940)
- Willie's Shetland Boat
- Robert Johnson (1941)
- Fir Want o Spaekin
- Eftir Newrday
- Gyaain Hame
- Fir Rhoda
- Nan Henry (1941)
- This Too Shall Pass
- Laurna Robertson (1942)
- Amber
- Out on a Limb
- From The Ranselman's Tale
- Jenni Sinunons
- Love Poem
- Christine De Luca (1947)
- Brekken Beach, Nort Yell
- Wife in Ston
- Thule Revisited
- Island Home-comings
- Hallowe'en Hansel
- Fowl Play
- Gyaain ta da Eela
- Tagidderness
- On the Death of my Mother at Midsummer
- Roond da Wirld
- Portrait o a Lady
- A Strynd o Sense
- Laureen Johnson
- Doitin
- March-past at Arromanches
- Vegetarian
- Voe in Vaar
- Shore Skippers
- What's On?
- Hawkeye
- Friday Night Stonemason
- Jim Moncrieff (1947)
- Remembrance
- Hegri
- Presence
- Walking to School
- Cutting Corn
- Jim Mainland (1952)
- My Grandfather's Gift
- Songline
- Glynda Batchelor (1952)
- Fitful Head
- Ruth
- Christ's Corbie
- Everything Stopped
- Linda Sutherland (1952)
- Moornaqueen
- Mary Robertson (1953)
- Voar
- John M. Tait (1955)
- I da Mirknin
- Da Liver Drink
- John McKee
- Senseless
- Anne Dickie
- Armchair Naturalist
- The Fruit Bowl
- Jane Sinclair (1956)
- Soul
- Jane Macaulay (1957)
- Candlelight - Christmas 1994
- Robert Alan Jamieson (1958)
- Nostalgia: Da Auld Fok
- De
- Grind o da Navir
- I Da Hert 0 Da Ston
- Estrangement
- My Father's Life
- Prodigal
- Derick Tulloch (1961)
- Brand New Car
- Restit Fire
- Love Sang on a Coorse Nicht
- On Sumburgh Heid
- Jo Hanlon (1963)
- Saving the Ostrich
- Paul J. Ritch (1967)
- Childhood Reminiscence
- Ode ta a Fishy Bunk
- The Song of the Box-Clock
- Wheel of Fate
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