Fishing The Fly Scotland Forum

Mike Barrio

For me, one of the highlights of The March To The River Don every year are those great poems that Raymond Bisset writes for the occasion :z16

Raymond very kindly gave me his permission to put these on the website.

The photo below is from 2010 ..... and below that you can read today's poem "Address tae the Salmon".

Best wishes
Mike




Address tae the Salmon


Fair faa’ yir sparklin’ silvery face,
Great chieftan o’ the fishin’ race,
Abeen them aa’ ye taak yir place
Eel, perch an’ thairm,
Weel are ye worthy o’ a grace as lang’s ma airm.

The groanin’ net, aye there ye fill,
Yir back-fin shaped like mighty hill,
Yir tail thit helps tae power yir waey in time o’ need,
‘File oan yir skin, yir scales they glint,
Like silver bead.

His line, see skilful angler cast,
Upon a waatir unco’ fast,
Mendin’ its traivil thro’ the stream wi’ flees thit flash,
An’ then, o’ fit a glorious yark,
An’ mighty splash!

Fae bank tae bank, ye leap an’ sweem,
Ye bend his rod, his reel – it screams,
‘Till comes the time ‘fin tired an’ raxed wi’ sic exertion,
Ye offer up yir regal sel’,
For his assertion.

Ye lie upon a sandy shore,
Wi’ een thit’s fu’ o’ tears galore,
Ye ken yir journey’s end is near, a life noo wastit,
Hopin’ the kill is quick an’ clean,
Yir end thit’s hastit.

Bit mark that loon, an angler true,
A nature lover thro’ an’ thro’,
As gazin’ doon at sic a mairvil at his feet,
Says he – a worthy adversiry, aye –
Sae regal even in defeat.

Wis there iver a better thrill fir me,
A fresh-run fish up fae the sea,
A bar o’ silver flickerin’ in God’s sun,
Come on though man, ye canna’ halt a journey
‘Fore its done.

For this King o’ aa’ Kings, he’s traivell’t far,
Fae time he wis a salmon parr,
Gaen’ miles tae Greenland’s shore fae Scottish stream,
Then back again in twa’ years time,
Tae grasp his dream.

Which is – tae procreate his race,
Tae spread his seed wi’ pristine grace,
Ower redds wi’ waitin’ eggs in grave’lly beds,
Ensurin’ lots aa’ cocks an’ hens
In times ahead.

So Salmo Salar, I salute, a race like yours, sae resolute,
Yir aim – tae keep yir species tae the fore
Go! – continue on yir journey’s quest,
Let naething try or caase arrest,
Gaen forth an’ spawn a host o’ young galore.


© Raymond Bisset 2012

Brian Brand

Thanks for posting the poem, what a great art, I am so in awe.

I wish that I had been there, I do really enjoy it.

May I also add my many thanks to all who turned up today to support the event, if it wasn't for you all it just wouldn't happen.

Many thanks,
Bri.   

 




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