A handful of grass pulled from the field has many uses and in this chapter we embrace the utility of grass. Take simmans, for example, a two ply rope made of grass, straw, rushes or heather.
Take a length of bundled grass, fold it in the middle to make a loop. Work each side from the top of the loop twisting and turning towards you to plait the lengths. Add in more folded grass as needed. Tuck it up under the twist to give more lengths of grass to work with. The sneud (twist) is done by one hand while the other keeps the rope taut. As the rope grows, pass it over your shoulder, around your waist and under your arm using your body to keep tension on the growing rope.
Adapted from Simmans, sookans and straw backed chairs by Janette Park, Honorary Curator of Stromness Museum.
While cows are grazing
you’ve all the time in the world
to weave a craa’s foot
Timothy
Phleum pratense
Now Timothy, already fair,
shoots up among the meadow grass,
appears all over fields
where summer sun will bleach
the hay and fodder plants to white.
Straw Angus
Angus sits cross-legged in the grounds
tying leaves loosely, working them snugly.
Every day he’s making ropes and clothes
out of grass, twigs, wool and hay.
Strong hands reject weak stalks,
cable-stitch netting sunlight.
The knitter takes up the jacket
the jacket alone enters the forest.
Hospital clothes smell of hot salt, bleach.
Straw Angus’ clothes are made to last,
his moccasins, his leaf slippers,
his grass boots will step onto the shore.
He has a new purpose for rope.
Against the day of the big storm
he has a halter for a pony in hand
leading him home to the island.
For Angus MacPhee, Weaver of Grass
On Drowsy Brae
‘Whit are ye daein here, on Drowsy Brae?
Letting the gress grow aneath ye, in amang
this saft brome, weel-kenned as sleepies?
Forwandert, we’re doverin ower,
takkin a rip o pluff-gress for a pillow
whaur it is nid-nod-nodding.
Oor darg maks us sair forfochten
and taigled wi aa the chainges,
we’ve lain doon, tyke-tired.
We’ll streek oor length on Drowsy Brae
for that’ll keep oor banes green.
We’ll sleep as soond as a peerie.
We’ll mind o this, when we wauken,
oor fowk were aye made o gress,
bairns o the yird an o the universe.
forwandert – weary with wandering
doverin ower – falling asleep
pluff-gress – Yorkshire fog
darg – work
sair forfochten – exhausted
taigled, tired – harassed
tyke-tired – dog-tired
yird – earth
Drowsy Brae is where a Bronze Age beaker was found, at Shieldhill in Lanarkshire.
WHEN THE GRASS DANCES 