Tanka Prose: The Pier at Findochty

Findochty harbour in Winter with sailing boats on the quay

One of the pastimes my husband and I enjoy during this lockdown is going through old photographs of places we visited.

On a beautiful day in December 2019 we drove to the small fishing village of Findochty on the Moray Coast. We chatted with some friendly local people, walked around with our dogs and took a few photographs. It was the first time we had come here in Winter and we loved the beauty of the light in the cold air. I wrote a few poems while we were there, including this one.

white sculpture of a seated fisherman overlooking Findochty harbour

Most of the sailing boats are on the quayside, masts folded. Fresh paintwork glitters in the morning sun. There is still the odd ice patch, in the shadows of the harbour. A small dog slips as he scampers up the brae.

watching over us
a seated fisherman
full of stories
my eyes begin to wander
past the lighthouse, out to sea

© Xenia Tran

Ribbons, Winter 2020: Volume 16, Number 1

the piers at the harbour mouth of Findochty

Wishing you all a blessed Sunday and a peaceful week ahead,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Camera: Canon Powershot SX60 HS, Settings: f/4 – 1/640 s – ISO 160, f/4.5 – 1/1000 s – ISO 200 and f/5 – 1/1000 s – ISO 160.

Lens-Artists Weekly Photo Challenge #97: Pastimes

dVerse Poets MTN: 5-Line Japanese Poetic Forms

A further selection of recent publications in online and print journals can be found here:

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.

56 thoughts on “Tanka Prose: The Pier at Findochty”

    1. Thank you so much for your kind words dear Cathy, it was a beautiful day and very peaceful 💜 A wonderful rest of the day to you too from all of us here 🤗💖🐕 xxx

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    1. Thank you kindly dear Laurie, I love your winter images of Maine and the light looks very similar 💙 xxx

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words dear Ali, hope you’ll be able to walk by the sea again before too long 💜 xxx

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  11. Beautifully written, Xenia, and congratulations on appearing in Ribbons! Thank you for sharing this with us over at dVerse! I love how you portray the tranquility of the scene with such evocative imagery. Your tanka complements your prose and extends the experience perfectly!

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words dear Frank and for hosting this lovely prompt tonight, it’s a pleasure to share! 🤗💖 xxx

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  12. I thoroughly enjoyed your tanka prose, Xenia, and love the photos of Findochty. I felt like I was there. It’s refreshing to read about a winter walk and ‘the beauty of the light in the cold air’ when it has been a warm day here. I’m a fan of harbours and remember visiting a little one on the east coast of Scotland not far from Aberdeen, many years ago. Your description of the sailing boats on the quayside with their masts folded reminded me of that trip, and I love the close detail of the small dog scampering up the brae. The seated fisherman is impressive- I’m glad you included him in the tanka, and I love the way you direct my gaze out to sea with the final lines.

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words dear Kim and for walking around the harbour with us here. The light on the East coast is beautiful on a Winter’s morning and so lovely to hear it brought back memories of your own trip to this corner 🧡 xxx

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  13. I love your introduction to set the stage for your poem. The way you shift perspective, first fully in the moment of the scene, then your eyes lift “past the lighthouse out to sea” is magical.

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    1. Thank you kindly dear Carole, we’re happy to wrap up warm for days like these 💜

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    1. Thank you kindly dear Dwight, it truly felt as if he was longing for the sea when I saw him sitting there 🙂

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words dear Glenn, so glad you enjoyed the tanka prose 🤗

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words dear Peter, so glad you enjoyed it too 🤗

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words dear Kate and for walking along with us here, it was such a beautiful morning 💜

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words dear Sarah. The light is beautiful here in Winter and it’s lovely to wrap up warm and go for a long walk in the crisp cold air 💜

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words dear Helen, tanka and haiku are such wonderful forms and very meditative too 💜

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  26. Pingback: Looking Back at 2020: Thank you for the Love – Tranature

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