Four Hours
by Jim Campbell(Writted for and read at the dedication ceremony for the foundation stone of the Stotfield monument on Christmas Day 2006)
The day broke calm, the sun rose up
A licht win’ fae the east.
The sky a seek, bricht orange,
T’was a warnin’ nane wid heed.
Wi sails hised up and oars at han’
They headed out to sea.
Little did these brave men ken
In four hoors they wid dee.
Wi’ lines and hooks a’ cast
Intae a grown’, brekkin sea,
Their only hope o’ shelter
Lay in the Hythe’s shore lee.
Strainin’ and pullin’ at the oars
Against the win’ and tide,
Sails blown oot, and shoothers sair
They’d nae wye noo tae hide.
The win’ noo shifts in tae the West
Wi’ a huge almichty roar.
Wives and bairnies winnerin’
Will they iver reach the shore?
Ane by ane the boats are swamped
As men cry in despair
Wives turn awa’ and comfort bairns
Their hearts noo sad and sair.
Twa hunner years have noo gone by
Since that sad and fateful morn
And through time, mony fowk have had
This reason tae weep and mourn.
A fishin’ community decimated
By natures fickle way
And even with man’s ingenuity
It’s happenin’ still today.
