Strange Genesis
by Christie Williamson
Unkan Genesis Shetlandic Scots
I da beginneen
dey wir a darkness
big eneoch an dark
eneoch ta burst a hol
i da koll bucket
haalin waarmth
in fae da caald.
An da darkness covered
aa da things
at wis, an aa da things
at wisna
i da heevins abön
an da grund
sunken i da sook o hit’s tide.
Dan,
dey wir a spark o licht
at wis bön hoidin
waetin fur da exack
richt time
ta brakk da monotony
o da notheenniss
at wis aathin afore hit.
Da mirk saa da licht
an da mirk
hed not a clue whit ta dö
aboot dis brilliant bairn
laundit apö his shores.
Dat wis day wan, an fae dan
da mirk haesna riggit
ee hail day yit.
Fur aa dat,
he’s gien naewye.
He’s gjaain naewye.
He’s bidin his eternity,
da best,
maest brilliant dark
du ivvir saa.
Christie Williamson
Strange Genesis English Version
In the beginning
there was a darkness
big enough and dark
enough to burst a hole
in the coal bucket
dragging warmth
in from the cold.
And the darkness covered
all the things
that were, and all the things
that weren’t
in the heavens above
and the ground
sunken in the suck of its tide.
Then,
there was a spark of light
that had been hiding,
waiting for the exact
right time
to break the monotony
of the nothingness
that was everything before it.
The darkness saw the light
and the darkness
had not a clue what to do
about this brilliant child
landed on his shores.
That was day one, and since then
the dark hasn’t dressed
one whole day yet.
For all that,
he’s gone nowhere.
He’s going nowhere.
He’s biding his eternity,
the best,
most brilliant dark
you ever saw.