MARY SHELLEY ON BROUGHTY FERRY BEACH

MARY SHELLEY ON BROUGHTY FERRY BEACH

Robert Crawford

One small boat tugs the enormous corpse inshore

Towards waiting locals. A lad opens up its mouth

And wades inside, clutching a flensing tool

For blubber. Piece by hacked off piece

Men deconstruct the outcast zeppelin body,

Carting lumps back to beachfront cottages -

Sturdy food and good oil for the winter.

Harpoons glint in the candlelight.

Safe home, the men of Broughty Ferry take

Their sweet uncorseted wifes to bed, or croon

Shanties to bairns beside toys made of teeth.

The Tay flows quiet. Dundee’s lights wink their yellow.

A sad girl walks from the beach, carefully picking

Her steps as she sneaks past a leftover eye

Flung on the sand, and other small last bits

Of monster littering the promenade.

Description: Pinned to a long wooden beam at the foot of a fence beside the Dundee Sailing Club building. A suitably gothic mansion can be seen on the rise in the background.
Geotag co-ords: 56.468369, -2.899381
Date: 1.07.14