wipp wipp wipp
cloot around da finger
ower da end an
ower da second knuckle
wipp wipp wipp
tie da treed
brak him aff
start ageen
verse from the poem ‘Rhythms’ by Laureen Johnson
I spent the afternoon with Laureen in her house in Voe, I wanted to meet her because I had already read some of her poems and I wanted to find out more about her poems inspired by the lives and work of the women herring gutters. I am always interested in words and poetry and often incorporate it into my work. The Shetland dialect is fascinating, rich and can seem a bit impenetrable, listening to Laureen reading her poems it came alive and was much easier to understand listening to her speak rather than reading them.
We talked about many things and once again I found myself wanting to pursue another area of research related to the fishing industry, the subject is vast, deep, ever changing, complex and there are many directions that I could go in, however it is a good position to be in to have too much inspiration, rather than none.
We talked about the herring gutters and the details about their work, since being here the connection between Shetland and Lowestoft keeps arising, as I live in Suffolk it feels an important link and today I discovered that the women would travel down to Lowestoft to work, following the fish, from October until Christmas, amazing! it is exactly the same period of time that I am here, in Shetland from Suffolk, uncanny, there is something in that, i’m sure.
We’re awa, we’re awa ta Lowestoft
we’re awa ida fall o da year
When da herrin is geen fae Shetland
An he’s quiet on Shearer’s pier.
When da farleen’s staandin empty
An da huts is aa shut doon
We’re awa wi aa da idder crews
Ta da guttin in Lowestoft toon
Laureen Johnson
