some merr Glesca poems IV            Poems   page 1  page2   page3  page4  page5

 ......Three Glesca poems written by a man who lived all his life in Govanhill, Glasgow. John Craig Paterson was born in Preston Street on  the10th July 1913, he served  with the HLI.  He wrote a lot of poetry, these three were written by him in the mid 1980s. when he was in his seventy's.   He died at the grand old age of 93yrs on Friday the 6th Oct 2006.

Memories (of Govanhill )
by John

Five cinemas then to take your pick, I'm sure you knew them all
With the Saturday's favourite 'The Majestic', where the kiddies had a ball

The 'Lido' where I learned to dance, was sometimes quite selective,
But the girls were fair they'd take a chance, and soon we became respected

Remember the trams wae the 'penny fare' that I sometimes tried tae dodge!
The 'red' car passed through Georges Square, the 'white' car Glasgow Cross

The little park was a garden square and known as just the 'swingy'
Brass bands of every type played there, but now it looks rather dingy

Alas! These days are in the past and its now forward to the future
I knew of course they'd never last in this present day type of culture
~

In eighty-eight or so they say
oor Glesga's go'en tae show the way
of how a Scottish toon should look
wi' oot its smoke an' dirty soot

The buildin's they'll be lookin' braw
way awe the grime clean't aff the wa's
An when folks come, oor toon tae grace
They'll find St Mungo's dear green place

They're gawn tae mak' yon docklan' site
a garden beautiful and bright
Wae flowers oh every kind and hue
frae deepest reds tae pales an' blue

An visitors frae foreign lands
we'll welcome here wae open hauns
Ah'll sae nae mair but jist you wait
you'll see it aw in eighty-eight
~
That was written for the Glasgow Garden Festival 1988
~

~

Pensioners
by John Craig Paterson

There's nothing new or so they say, yet I keep finding every day
the cash I'm given for being old, won't keep my home from feeling cold

And tho' this government have said, our pensioners are all well paid
That's because they never test, living on the DHSS

And now to make it more uphill, they're bring in another 'bill'
they damn well never will relax until they've passed this new 'poll tax'

Not satisfied with that alone. there's a 'housing bill' called 'Scottish Homes'
The 'bill' has points that are well meant, but behind it aw' there's a rise in rents.

These judgements that the 'house' will pass, means families will run short of cash.
And worst of all these needy folk, will start to think there is no hope.

Their chance of work seems all in vain, the world has passed them all again
Its sad to say in this prosperous 'state' those folk will just be classed 'third rate'
~

merr Glesca Poems   page 1  page2   page3  page4   page5

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