A few years ago I interviewed Liz Dawn about her early life in Leeds and these poems were produced from the information that she gave to me. Hope you like them. I know she does.
I HAVEN'T ALWAYS COME UP SMELLING OF ROSES,
I'VE HAD YEARS BEING RIGHT DOWN AT HEEL.
DON'T TELL ME ABOUT SCRIMPING AND SAVING,
THERE'S BEEN DAYS BART A BOB FOR A MEAL.
THERE WAS A TIME , JUST AFTER CHRISTMAS ONE YEAR,
I WAS SEVEN MONTHS GONE WITH OUR DAWN,
AND DON SEZ, ROMANTICALLY,'WE'D BEST GET WED,
BEFORE THIS POOR BABY IS BORN.
WE BOOKED'T REGISTER OFFICE FOR LATER THAT MONTH,
I COULDN'T AFFORD A NEW FROCK,
A FRIEND OF MINE LENT ME HER CONEY FUR COAT,
AND WE MET IN'T TOWN HALL UNDER'T CLOCK.
REGISTRAR, LOOKED AT US STUNNED BUT FORCED A SMILE,
I BET HE THOUGHT,'WHAT HAVE WE GOT HERE,
WE HADN'T A CARNATION BETWEEN US,
MAM SAID, 'WHAT A START TO'T NEW YEAR.
DON'S DAD WERE GASPING, HE'D BRONCHITUS,
WE HAD TO HAWL HIM UP LAST FLIGHT A STAIRS,
THERE WERE ME IN A COAT I COULDN'T FASTEN,
UN MY DON IN HIS BEST PAIR OF FLAIRS.
MY DAD WERE STRUGGLING WITH HIS SPINAL SUPPORT,
WHILST MY MAM HELPED ON WITH A GRIN ,
DON'S MOTHERS BUNNIONS WERE GIVING HER HELL,
WE LOOKED LIKE SOMETHING THE DOG HAD DRAGGED IN.
I THINK THE REGISTRAR WAS ASHAMED OF US,
COS, HE RUSHED THROUGH THE SERVICE LIKE MAD,
THEN DON COULDN'T GET RING ON MY FINGER,
COS, MY LEFT HAND HAD SWELLED UP SO BAD.
WHEN WE CAME OUT OF'T TOWN HALL IT WERE RAINING,
SO TO LEWIS'S WE WENT FOR US TEA,
WE HAD A CUPPA UN ONE OF THEM SMALL FAIRY CAKES,
AND THEY ALL TOOK THEIR COATS, 'CEPT ME.
WAITRESS CAME OVER TO GIVE DON THE BILL,
SHE COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE THAN FIFTEEN.,
'HAVE YOU COME TO SEE'T CHRISTMAS PANTO, ' SEZ SHE,
'NO LOVE ' SAID I ' WE'VE JUST BEEN'.
BUT WE ALWAYS FOUND SOMETHING TO LAUGH ABOUT,
IF YOU CAN LAUGH AT YOURSELVES YOU'LL GET BY,
COS, THERE'S ALWAYS A SILVER LINING SOMEWHERE,
THERE'S A LINING IN EVERYONES SKY…..
