Dalgarno, Patricia
I find it strange as I grow old, I can't recall what I've just been told
Yet I can see it all so clear, instead of being yesteryear
Happy times, carefree ways, memories of my Childhood days.
TRAILIN UP THE ROAD FAE SCHOOL,
WAIT FER EACH ITHER WIS THE RULE,
SEE THE SMOKE CURL FAE THE LUM,
KENNIN THEN WE'D SEEN BE HAME.
MIN' THE SMELL ON BAKING DAYS?
TASTE HAME BAKED BREED OR NEW MILK CHEESE,
CA' THE CHURN, MAKIN BUTTER
"I'D RITHER PLAY" YER'E HEARD T' MUTTER.
PICKIN TATTlES. FIT A SLOG,
CLEANIN EGGS A DREADFU JOB.
AYE, I KEEPIT AWFA' CALM,
RIDING BAREBACK ON THON LAMB
CHASIN' COOS FIT A TRAUCHLE,
FAN DAD YELLED "RIN" YE DIDNAE DAUCHLE.
HACKIN STICKS, TAK IN COAL,
WE REALLY DIDNAE MIN AT A.
SEE THE SEASONS CHANGIN
FAE PLEWING THROUGH T' HAIRSTEN
FAN WINTER CAM WE HID GREAT FUN,
COULDNA WAIT FER SNA T' COME
CAROL-SINGIN ON THE STAIRS
WATCH SNAFLAKES FA IN SPLENDOUR
CHRISTMAS WIS A SPECIAL TIME
SEEN WI A BAIRN- LIKE WONDER
WE'D HIDE FAE DAD, OOT O' SECHT,
GET READY FER A SNABA FECHT
WI TILLY LAMPS, AN CANDLE FLAME,
HOPIN THAT WE'D BE BLOCKED IN
BUILDIN SNAMEN, SLEDGIN TOO,
THEN DAD GAED OOT AN BOCHT A PLEW.
AFF TAE SCHOOL, LET'S MAK TRACKS
IN WELLY BOOTS AN NICE BLACK MACS.
I WIDNAE SAY THAT WE WERE WILD,
BIT I WIS THE PERFECT CHILD,
MARGARET DEAR, LET'S PLAY FAIR,
FAE THREW THON POKER IN THE AIR?
AN WISNAE IT JIST ROTTEN LUCK
THAT SISTER JOAN FORGOT T' DUCK.
FA SHUT ME IN THE "SHOPPIE"
FAEN IT WIS TIME FOR TEA?
AND WIDNAE LIFT THE SNIB,
OR COME AND SET ME FREE?
WI BINDER TWINE AN BITS OF ROPE
I WIS TIED UPON MY CHAIR,
"IT WASN'T ME I SWEAR" JAYNE CRIED
BUT WE AA KEN OF COURSE SHE LIED.
PUIR JACKIE LEFT FOR AGES
TIED TAE A TELEGRAPH POLE,
THEN WE'D LOCK HER IN THE DARK
INSIDE THE "BOLLIE HOLE."
REMEMBER MAM'S SWEET GENTLE VOICE
FAN SHE CAME OOT T' CAA,
"GET AFF THON BLOOMIN STEADING REEF
AFORE YOU DASH'T WEEL FAA".
UP THE PARK TAE THE FAIRY RING
WE GAED TAE PLAY AN HIDE
WE DIDNAE STAN ON TOADSTOOLS
'CAUSE THAT'S FAR FAIRIES BIDE
DOON THE HAUGH LOOK FER TABBIES,
STUNG BI NETTLES PICKIN DAFFIES
RIDING BIKES, KICK THE CAN,
HIDE N' SEEK, AN I'M NAE MAN.
DOCKEN LEAVES MIXED UP WI DUBS
BECAME OOR "HOOSIES" GOURMET GRUB
COWBOYS AND INDIANS, CLIMMIN TREES,
COONT TAE TEN FAEN PLAYIN DEID.
SIMPLE FUN, SIMPLE JOYS,
WE HAED NAE NEED FER FANCY TOYS.
FIT I LEARNT FIN I WIS SMAA,
HASNA LEFT MY MIND AT AA,
THE FAIMILY TIES ARE VERY STRANG,
EVEN THOUGH WE MAY DAE WRANG,
AND FER ME, THE TRUTHFUL PAIRT
THAT BAIRN HAS NIVER LEFT MY HAIRT.