Fishertown Rubaiyat

view through a snow covered lane in the Fishertown

The smaller lanes still pure with snow
where lanterns cast their final glow
the moon will blink before she sleeps
the blue sky’s here to steal her show.

The gritter weaves through narrow streets
winter’s flown here now and greets
the wood smoke curling into day
through chimney pots, their smell so sweet.

The fisher folk who used to stay
in homes along the coast and bay
would know how strong the wind can blow
the way life changes, when we play.

© Xenia Tran

view through a narrow snow covered street in the Fishertown
view down a snow covered street in the Fishertows at day break

Frank at dVerse Poets invites us to write a Rubaiyat with a Winter theme and I’ve created an interlocking Rubaiyat following the aaba, bbcb, ccac format.

You can find an example of a ruba’i (a classical Persian quatrain with 13-syllable lines) in One More Glance on our sister blog.

Wishing you all a very happy Friday and a wonderful weekend,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Camera: Canon Powershot SX60 HS, Settings: f/5 – 1/20 s – ISO 1250, f/4 – 1/40 s – ISO 640 and f/5.6 – 1/100 s – ISO 640.

dVerse Poets: Poetry Forms – The Rubaiyat

Rag Tag Daily Prompt: Fish

Author: Tranature - quiet moments in nature

The stories, poems and photographs on Tranature are the original creative work of Xenia Tran, inspired by the natural surroundings of the Scottish Highlands.

66 thoughts on “Fishertown Rubaiyat”

  1. This reads beautifully and so are your photos to match the winter scene. Love the sensory delight here:

    the wood smoke curling into day
    through chimney pots, their smell so sweet.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much for your kind words dear Eliza 💜 We have grit boxes on the corner to get grit for the narrow lanes and pavements and gritters who drive through the wider streets, releasing grit as they go. I’d never heard of ‘sander’ before, thank you for teaching me a new word too! 🙂💖 xxx

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

        1. Thank you Dwight, the word ‘grit’ evolved from the old English ‘greot’ (which was used to describe sand, dust or gravel), which in turn evolved from the Germanic ‘greutan’ (crushed rock), the old Frisian ‘gret’ and old Norse ‘grjot’ (rock, stone). The grit we use here today comprises of crushed rock salt and gravel. It’s possible ashes were used here in the olden days too! 🙂

          Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you so much for your kind words dear Dwight 🙂 In a general sense the final line relates to the difference between work and play and every reader can attach their own meaning to this. For the original inhabitants of the Fishertown life was often tough and at the mercy of wind and sea. Men, women and children all worked hard. Especially for the working children, life was very different when they could play 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. Thank you so much for your kind words dear Kathy, the Scottish Highlands have a way of calling us 😉💖

      Like

      Reply

    1. Thank you so much for your kind words dear Cathy 💜 Hope you are all warm and cosy and much love from our house to yours 🤗💖🐕 xxx

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. Thank you so much for your kind words dear Laurie, it’s part of a conservation area and there’s so much history here 🙂💖 xxx

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  17. Stunning images to illustrate your words. But the words stand alone to create a picture in my mind’s eye. Love the first stanza and most especially the use of the word “gritter”.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  19. Pingback: Ruba’i: One More Glance – Whippet Wisdom – a Highland Journey

  21. I like the variety of visuals you give us here, each holding more to wonder and imagine. The last stanza reminds me of Newfoundland where we visited last year. Many tiny fishing villages along the ocean that have dwindled in population over time.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much for your kind words dear Mish 💜 Those fishing villages sound lovely and I hope some of the people who left will return and live there again one day 🙂💖 xxx

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  22. I’m afraid I’ve got around to reading a little bit late, Xenia. So glad I checked back as your Rubaiyat is delightful and I love the pictures. Is that where you live? So beautiful in the snow and I imagine in all other kinds of weather. I especially love the stanza about the fisher folk. xx

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much for your kind words dear Kim and yes, this is where we stay. These were originally fishermen’s cottages and some of their descendants still live here. It’s been lovely to hear their stories and in the Winter months especially, it feels like stepping back in time 🙂💖 xxx

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  26. Pingback: Finn’s Rubaiyat – Whippet Wisdom – a Highland Journey
  27. Pingback: Looking Back at 2019 – Thank you for the Magic – Tranature

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