Startin e School
by Jenny S Stewart

Id rolled back nearly twinty years till time fan ah gied off,
Ah's five on Monday, school on Tuesday, feelt choost lek a toff,
Ah'd got a pleated skirt o grey, blue ganzey meyde by mam,
Ma chum (ca'd Jinnad) an masell set off in mithir's han'.

We kent a bit fit till expect, we'd sisters an we'd brithers,
At filled wur heyds wi fit went on, we hed no cause for dithers,
E playground swarmed wi bairns an mams, some cheeky, some plain shy,
We coulnda wait till bag a desk, we'd choost no time till cry.

Ma mam said "Weel bairns, cheerio, ah'll see ye for yur dennur,"
While some mams hung aroond e windows, cowned in feel-lek mennur,
An some bairns bawled an widna halt, we sat an rolled wur eyes,
Thur's no chiel warned us 'boot e rackid, at came as a surprise.

Wan creytur sat up top ma desk, ah lifted lid an "bang!"
Ah'd struck hur heyd an horted id, an bawls fey hur soon rang,
Thank hivvins for e playtime bell, we'd thrippence eych reserved,
Meyde strecht for "Gibby's" van then found ye'd fecht till ye wiz served.

Wur quarter oor soon disappeared, then time till go back in,
Till fin some bairns hed gone strecht homm, at fairly helped e din,
We sat ere richt till half past twell, came back fey two till three,
Decided at id wisna bad, we'd stick id oot till see.

Boot at's no help till five year owlds embarking till e school,
Choost leyve thum till get on wi id, don't interfere's e rule,
They'll soon adapt, make lods a pals and independant be,
They'll settle doon till lek e school, now mark ma words, ye'll see.