[Terry]

I hope this poem is appropriate. It was written by a local Accy man as far as I know. I can't remember if I took it with me to Aussie or whether it was sent to me by a friend much later. It was printed in the observer I think. so I can't claim it. I am sure some of you have seen it before. I can recite this off the top of my head and in my original untainted 50's Accy accent. Whenever I feel sentimental I recite this poem to myself.

T'coppie

Tha mus be cowd i thi winter
thi grassy cooats thin
it's nod as green naether
as wod id wur long sin

And th'air tha breathes is smooky
thy arnt so far fray 'town
and when id rains day afther day
tha seems to weer a fraewn

Thart noan as big as Pendle yon
Tha doesn't reytch to t'stars
thas no songs sung about thi
and o thi face thas scars.

But then thas music o thi own
Thas no need to despair
when t'wind comes whistlin oer thi
an't larks sing up in th'air

Th'art bonnie too owd coppie
when t'thorns are white i may
or when tha blushes pink as sun
gets low near thend at day

and then Ive sin thi smilin
when t'skys all blue aboon
or when tha watchint'coarters
bi gentle leet at'moon

As owt be thart noan lonely
when all is said and done
all t'childer come to si thi
fro daewn i Accrington

and when tha bears i oly week
up o thi top a cross
and meks foak think of calvary
fer words i'm at a loss