Local Poetry

Welcome  By Cyril Ashurst

Tha’rt rayly welcome Spring owd lad,
Ah’m gradely fain tha’rt here,
Tha’s put’n owd winter’s cowd at bay
An’ getten us aw i’ gear;
Tha’s nod hawf done thi best owd lad
T’fill Mother Nature’s cup,
Aw th’ plants han started t’grow again
Neaw that tha’s wakken’t ‘em up.

Ah’m fain o’th’ job tha’s done fer me,
Tha’s made mi gardin breet,
Ah’ve daffodils an’ snowdrops yond,
That make a bonny seet ;
An’ th’ trees abeawt ar’ sprittin’ eawt
An’ teawrnin’ neaw to green,
An’ th’ blossom o’ yon cherry tree,
It’s such a bonny scene.

There’s sparrows flittin’ to an’ fro
Wi’ twigs an’ bits o’ leaves,
Some on ‘em’s fond a cozy spot
To neest yond under th’ eaves ;
An’ th’ blackbrids yond i’th’ conifer,
They seem t’bi middlin’ thrung,
They han t’find lots o’ worms an’ such,
They’n hawf a dozen young.

There’s blue tits i’ mi neest box yond,
Owd Mon, Ah’m fain they’n come,
Ah’ve set an’ watch’t ‘em fotchin’ things
To furnish their new whom ;
An’ th’ throstle seems t’ha’ claim’t a shop
Just yond at top o’th’ hill,
Ah yer him herald th’ dawn each day
Wi’ his sweet warblin’ trill.

Tha’s put’n a spring i’th’ wife’s step too
Fer neaw hoo’s aw o’th’ go,
Hoo’s getten agate wi’ th’ clennin’ job
I’th’ heawse fro’ top to toe;
Hoo’s eawt wi’ th’ duster, brush an’ pon,
By gow, hoo’s weel i’ tune,
Ah dars’nt walk through th’ dooer neaw
‘til Ah’ve ta’n off mi shoon.

Tha ma’es it such a busy time
When tha comes reawnd owd friend,
Tha stirs th’ world from it’s wintry sleep
An’ starts it off o’th’ mend;
So Ah’ll enjoy thi comp’ny lad
While tha’rt still i’ thi prime,
Fer soon tha’ll ha’ to leove mi
To welcome th’ Summertime.