Things is nae the same...

...laments John Robertson of Collieston, who recites this amazingly emotive poem of his own composition recalling the fisher village and its characters, some of whom have never left!

There’s nae mair Shally Roadies
An ‘ers nae mair Spelding racks
You’ll nae see bo’ed aul craters
Muckle creels upon their backs
Nae weemen sheelin mussels
And naebody reddin lines
And there’s nae mair dances in the hall
For a’ oor bonnie quines

You’ll nae see aul Tam Walker
Wi he’s wither beaten smile
In ither couthy characters
Have weared awa as fyle,
Coaty, Buckie, Jocky Mae
Tony Sot and Tammy Boo
Aul Tooley and Jimmikie
To name but just a few

But a’ them and the likes o them
Have gone and left amiss
And Collieston’s just nae the same
But let me tell you this
Whiles I hear the clunk o oars
When ‘ers nae a yawl in sicht
In I clump o leather sea-beets
On an empty pier at nicht

Whilst a burst o lauchin
Comes fae bain lang the shore
That I’d swear was Sarah- Ellen
Like she used to lauch afore
I’ve heard a spunk bein crackit
On the gunnel o a yawl
And turnt and lookit roon aboot
And never seen a soul
But fits mair oot the ordinar’
Was yon whiff o bogey roll

Now ye’ll maybe nae believe me
And I’ll let you hae your say
But I ken there’s naebody here aboot
Smokes bogey roll the day
No naebody here aboot
Smokes bogey roll the day

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