My Own Penny Fare

Blantyre's Ain Website

Blantyre, Lanarkshire, Scotland

Poems about Miners

My Own Penny Fare

My Own Penny Fare

It was the early workman’s
And nearing Blantyre Rows,
We picked up a smallish lad,
Dressed in the Collier clothes.

There was something in his look.
That made me think and ponder,
“Surely he was a new start,
On the road to ‘down under’.”

I gaed him his penny fare,
And quizzed him just a wee;
He gave me his story frank,
And a thrill it brought tae me.

The wee pit lamp he carried,
Had hung oan the kitchen wa’
Since four years past an mair,
His faither was ta’an awa’.

Bearing thus his faither’s lamp
As he cam’ o’ collier age,
Bound was he for yon pit-bank
In time for the early cage.

Wearing too his faither’s claes,
Newly made doon and suiting;
He ready was for ony wark
That was at a’ befitting.

But if he had his laddie’s wish,
A pony he’d be driving,
He wa’d feed it wi’ his piece,
And the pony wa’d be thriving.

Fu’ cheery at the prospect
Having a pony to drive;
The pony was aye to be neat,
And merry, happy, and blythe.

He spoke o’ the old coal road,
His faither had driven in;
To him it was the royal road,
And himself the happy king.

The car had reached the pit road
And he rose tae gae awa’;
I gi’ed back his penny fare,
Wished him guid luck an a’.

I thought he should travel free,
In the spirits he was in;
For I was queen o’ the car,
On the journey o’ the king.

Fu’ was he o’ morning promise,
This my own, my penny fare;
God grant him a clear noon-day,
And answer a lassie’s prayer.

Peg O’ The Caur

Source: The Motherwell Times, Friday, January 4th, 1924

~~~

If you have any Poems… Send them to Bill

Blantyre, Lanarkshire, Scotland

Back to home

Right to next page

Site Designed & Maintained by:
minisymbol21“In Pursuit of Excellence”

Copyright © Symbol Internet Marketing 2003 – 2023

haste-ye-banner1