An ode to a Westport tragedy
A Campbeltown man with a penchant for poetry has shared another of his compositions with the Courier.
Jim McRobert, who now lives in Musselburgh, says that although he only lived in Campbeltown for 20 years, he has always called the area home. He recently visited the town, where he met and reminisced with old friends.
The poet writes about a variety of topics, ranging from current affairs to nostalgic pieces reflecting on his younger years.
He claims this week's poem, titled The WRENs, is inspired by an historic event at Westport beach involving members of the Women's Royal Naval Service.
As well as appearing in the Courier, his rhymes have featured in several books and magazines, on the radio and at book festivals, and there are plans in place to have a compilation of his own work published soon.
The WRENs
As I sit on this rock just by the shore I remember that day so long ago We'd been posted here just after the war To let us heal from that poisonous sore. It certainly was a glorious day When we went to this beach to relax and play
As soon as we could, we went for a swim Some stripped down naked and went straight in.
Desperate to shed the stench of blood To cleanse ourselves with that endless flood No signs we saw on this deserted beach Of that danger warning just out of reach. And it looked for all the world to see
A piece of Highland tranquillity Atlantic rollers, a place to play
In warmth and sun we'd stay all day.
But as the giant waves crashed asunder Fearsome rip-tides sucked them under Pulling my four friends into deadly quicksand
Katherine and Maggie and Doris and Ann. Yes as we laughed and played, they drowned In liquid sand, not solid ground
And I know we'd lost good friends in the war In amongst all that blood and gore.
We really thought we'd escaped all that In this place of heaven he'd sprung his trap Oh! I stayed on in this part of Kintyre And married, yes, married a local man. And every day I come here to see
If my friends I lost will return from the sea And if Katherine and Maggie and Doris and Ann
Will escape from the clutches of that evil quicksand.