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THE NEW GIRLS
by Ally McGurk
Jilly, Jenny, Joan and Joyce
Cried together with one voice,
'Do our lifestyles need enhancing?
Shall we take up morris dancing?
What we want is something pagan
Let's all go and join Belfagan!'
Jilly, Jenny, Joyce and Joan
Rushed towards the nearest phone
To learn the dances was their aim,
And on a Monday night they came,
Enthusiastic, every one
Keen to take part in the fun.
Jilly, Joan and Joyce and Jenny
Soon learned the steps - there aren't many!
Never girls to say, 'I can't',
They soon discovered how to rant.
Up and down the hall they prance,
Learning how to morris dance.
Jenny, Joyce and Joan and Jilly
Do not think that dancing's silly.
Now they're ordering their frocks
And blouses, clogs and little socks.
Soon dancing out will be their fate,
In summer nineteen ninety-eight.
Now in the troupe there's seven - they
All have names that start with 'J'
Jan and Jackie were before
And Jennifer - and Joan makes four;
With Joyce and Jilly, Jenny too -
I really think that that will do!
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Belfagan dancing at the Royal Oak, Braithwaite.
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Belfagan dancing at Bury railway station.
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THE RAIN
Here's a poem we found pinned to a door at Whinlatter Forest Visitor Centre during one of
the usual slight downpours.
In the last version of our website I enquired if anyone knew the author, and received several
different versions of the poem from Jay Booker, Vancouver, BC, Canada, who seems to have
put some research into the subject. I'm just including all the versions here, and leave it to you
to decide which is best.
The poet seems to have been one Barry Crump (or Grump, or Gruimp) from New
Zealand, round about 1984. If you know different, please email!
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THE RAIN - version 1 (Whinlatter)
It rained and it rained and it rained and it rained;
the average fall was well maintained,
and when the tracks were simply bogs,
it started raining cats and dogs.
After a drought of half an hour
we had a most refreshing shower,
and then the most curious thing of all:
a gentle rain began to fall.
Next day was also fairly dry,
save for the deluge from the sky,
which wetted the party to the skin,
and after that the rain set in.
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MULL WEATHER
version 2 (Isle of Mull, Scotland)
It rained and rained and rained and rained -
The average was well maintained
And when our fields were simply bogs
It started raining cats and dogs
After a drought of half and hour
There came the most refreshing shower
And then the queerest thing of all
A gentle rain began to fall.
Next day 'twas pretty fairly dry
Save for a deluge from the sky
This wetted people to the skin
But after that the rain set in
We wondered what's the next we'd get
As sure as fate we got more wet
But soon we'll have a change again
And we shall have a drop of rain.
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THE RAIN
--found in Architect's Creek Hut, Westland Nat'l Park, New Zealand
It rained and rained and rained
The average fall was well maintained
And when the tracks were simple bogs,
it started raining cats & dogs
After a drought of half an hour
We had a most refreshing shower,
And then most curious thing of all,
A gently rain began to fall!
Next day but one was fairly dry
Save for one deluge from the sky
Which wetted the party to the skin
And then, at last, the rain set in.
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POETRY CORNER
