Boat House Blantyre

Boat House Blantyre.

‘Twixt Clyde and Calder near Haughead,
‘tis where our Native people did tread,
as did a man by the name of Blane,
who once passed bye and left us his name.

One day perchance, should you pass bye,
you too might hear a plaintive cry
of voices calling for the Ferry boat,
“Bo-oat Jo-oak. Bo-oat Jo-oak’’…

You’ll turn, perchance to see,
this ancient site near Blantyre Priory,
as Boat House appears from out the gloom,
like the mystical village of Brig-a-doon.

The call is heard within his Cottage,
by the Ferryman who leaves his pottage,
rising swiftly from his chair,
makes his way down towards the pier.

To where his Skiff is safely moored,
making sure it is properly oared,
he launches forth onto the Clyde,
and rows towards the Uddingston side.

To ferry travellers to and fro,
is the job of Hie’lander John Munro
at which task he is the best,
being strong of arm and broad of chest.

Should you be fortunate to behold this scene,
you may think it all a dream
but stranger wait, be not be afraid,
‘tis written and oftimes said.

Those of us from far and wide,
are chosen to walk this path by Clyde
to bear witness just like thee,
as you pass bye these things you see …

Near this place some Monks did dwell,
upon this place didst cast a spell
‘tis not a spell that one should fear,
but rather a spell one holds dear.

These holy men from days of yore,
his guardians be for evermore…
tho’ they are gone, yet still remain,
to show that this be Gods domain!

So stranger have no fears,
it only happens every hundred years!

James Cornfield. 2008.

~~~

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