Rosendale

Rosendale
( A Magic Place When We Were Young )

Ah’ remember the tenement called Rosendale
in Blantir toon fae whence ah’ hail,
an ancient place, a bit o’ a dive,
but somehow magical, when yur only five.

Ah’ remember ma pals an’ thur cheeky wee faces,
thur wee short troosers held up wae braces.
Playin’ ootside was always a must:
Kickin’ a baw in the stoor an’ the dust.

Ah’ remember the outside toilet wae dread,
is it any wunner we peed the bed?
tae go doon there made me awfy unhappy,
thir wur times ah’ wished, ah’ still wore a nappy.

Ah’ remember the close wae hardly a light
the ghosts oan the stairs that gave ye a fright,
an gaun tae bed when the time wis just right,
tae wait fur the Daleks, that came in the night.

Ah’ remember ma da’ wae his jet black hair,
young an’ handsome an’ fu o’ flair,
a Blantir Dandy some wid say:
but a gentleman always, come what may.

Ah’ remember ma mother, a young Snow White,
always there tae make things right,
tender, lovin’ an’ fu o’ care,
wae a heart fu’ o’ love, for us tae share.

The family remembers those childhood days
in auld Rosendale in oor different ways,
an’ as we remember, happy or sad,
we’ll always be grateful, tae oor mum and dad.

Brian Cummiskey
Co/BC/2004

Just a wee note on Rosendale. It was the first poem I ever wrote. I wrote it for my father’s 70th birthday. It was he who said he seen the ghost of an old woman on the stairs. The Daleks that came in the night were inspired by a life size Dalek that sat in the Co-op window on Glasgow Road. I’m sure it was the Co-op, opposite the old post office.

The mither tongue gratefully added by Mr James Cornfield

~~~

Your Comments:

Jean Gibson: Used to visit my friend Geraldine McCrossan’s sister but cannot remember if it was Margaret or Shena.

Margaret Slaven McSorley: Was born in Rosendale.x

Annie Black: Memories my Aunty Margaret lived there when they were first married and of course the fairground would come regularly and we would go on the walzers and the young men would spin us round so fast.

Eleanor Duncan Nailon: Remember the fairground coming there.

James Faulds: The fairground used to screw up our fitba games when it showed up, the park was also used for a boxing ring when the guys came out Kelly’s pub and the Auchinraith Club at the weekend at closing time.

James Faulds: I delivered papers there in the early 60’s. New 99 percent of people that lived there, it was a community on its own lots great people.

~~~

If you have any Poems… Send them to Bill

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