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Hester Lament |
by Peter Clark |
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Gan canny, m'lad, gan canny, We'll nivvor git hyem nee mair, The's black damp inby, nee way t' the sky And nee God aboot us t' care. Aall wor marras hev put their last shifts in, The fire stole their air forrits flames, At the end of this shift, there'll be nee welcome lift, Just a roll call w' nee answered names. Bide close t' y' fathor, wor Davey, Like y' did when yee worra bairn, Come tyek yor rest, w' y' heid on maa chest, God's reasons Aa nivvor ’ill ken. Keep still, bonnie lad, nee commotion, Fo' the's little or nowt t' be done, Try y' best not t' cry, as slowly we die, This day we'll see nee wintry sun. There'll be nee stroll this neet t' the harba, Nee lines we'll cast doon the waall, For us the's nee use of high tide in the sluice Or the moon slantin’ ower the haall. Through the neet, in the dene, the shrill cries, ’Ill echo from rabbit n' hare, Theor cries ’ill not cease, ’cos there'll be nee release, W' nee one t' loose off the snare. Y' muthor's heart ’ill be breakin’, She's had hor last neet of sleep, The tears in hor eyes ’ill cry ’til she dies, She may as weell bide w' us neath this heap. In the pit-yard, the wives and the muthors, Theor vigils ’ill stand in the snaa, As theor last hopes depart, the pain in each heart ’Ill descend t' theor kin deep belaa. The's nen but wor luved ones t' mourn us, This day, they'll bear aall the loss, For in the depths of the orth, a man's life isn't worth A shul of coal tiv his boss. Y' asleep, bonnie lad, nivvor t' waken, Syun Aall join y' in that final sleep, As Aa bide by y' side, me sorrow ’n' pride Are the last memories that Aall ivvor keep. Gan canny, m' lad, gan canny, We'll nivvor git hyem nee mair, The's black damp inby, nee way t' the sky And nee God aboot us t' care. |
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