Sally James
Richard Holland Cup - Best POEM in Lancashire Dialect
ODE TO A COTTON REEL
Dancin’on mi sewin’ machine
is a gradely reel o’ cotton
it twirls an’ warks its magic
mekkin’ aw mi cares forgotten.
It spins its songs i’ merriment
meks mi layf mi thowts away
with mi treadle swayin’ feet
dancin’ through t’dull day.
Ah start at 6 oclock in t’morn
sometimes it’s black as neet
an’ ah walks toh wark wi’ sadness
when ah ‘ave to leave eawr street.
Ah leaves me childer wi mi mam
whilst ah goo eawt to wark
un monny a time when ah geets whoam
ahm walkin’ theer in t’dark.
Ah knows t’factory ull still bi buzzin’
when ah’m weel deeod an’ gone
ert t’place is mi bread un butter neaw
fer mi dowter an’ mi son.
Ah allus ceawnt mi blessin’s
as a treadles aw t’day through
dancin’ like th’owd cotton reel
so ah’ll bi merry too.
Dancin’on mi sewin’ machine
is a gradely reel o’ cotton
it twirls an’ warks its magic
mekkin’ aw mi cares forgotten.
It spins its songs i’ merriment
meks mi layf mi thowts away
with mi treadle swayin’ feet
dancin’ through t’dull day.
Ah start at 6 oclock in t’morn
sometimes it’s black as neet
an’ ah walks toh wark wi’ sadness
when ah ‘ave to leave eawr street.
Ah leaves me childer wi mi mam
whilst ah goo eawt to wark
un monny a time when ah geets whoam
ahm walkin’ theer in t’dark.
Ah knows t’factory ull still bi buzzin’
when ah’m weel deeod an’ gone
ert t’place is mi bread un butter neaw
fer mi dowter an’ mi son.
Ah allus ceawnt mi blessin’s
as a treadles aw t’day through
dancin’ like th’owd cotton reel
so ah’ll bi merry too.