A Bit of Chat With Maid Lowenna Can she Dance Tha Flora by Joy Stevenson

Twuz cauld und raw und dimmitty
Tha night Jaw `Awke cum round.
We wuz scriffun round tha awld slab
Twuddun night fun `orse nor `ound.


“Cummus in,” sez Feythurr,
“Youm freathed out boy fun sure
Put kettle on tha slab Ma
Un put wood in tha door.”

Jaw golloped up iz cup av tay
Then assed Feythurr right out straate,
“Can I put Annie ta Flora
Un dance with er in tha strait?”

Feythurr looked at Jaw downsoused
Un fixed un with iz eye,
“Guss awme boy, I’ll think bout un
Then I’ll givee me reply.”

Now, I wuddun much fun traipsun
Me life wuz brabum slaw,
Un ta dance mid-day at Flora
Wuz any maid’s dream uz yew da knaw.

But, Feythurr ee wuz madley moed,
Ee sat und skeet iz baccy juice
Betwattled ’bout iz awnly cheeld
Thut ee dedun want ta lose.

Says ee, “Yew caint dance with that cobba
Yew’ll look uz daft uz dunce
Yew da knaw aich partnurr ee da av
Da awnly try un wonce.”

Well, then I started creenun,
Cuz I da dearly luv ta dance,
Und ta dance mid-day at Flora
I’d never ad tha chance.

I scat up tha cloam taypot
Dropped tha bussa in tha spence,
Me pasties went sam coddled
I cuddun seem ta maake knaw sense.

Poor Mawthurr she gawt worrit
Whin I burn tha tattie daw,
Und I wint awl thin und davvurred
Saw, she tawld Feythurr I should gaw.

My gar, I ad sum fun yew
Maakun me gown av pure silk
Bawt frum tha best shop inta Helston
Twuz uz soft uz raw reem milk.

Tha sun shone down a likkurr
Tha start av Flora Day.
I wuz ready at tha braake av dawn,
Thaw tha dance wuddun til mid-day.

Me ‘at ee wuz a picture yew
Cuz I cuddun wear me gook,
I wore me ‘air all cruddly
Ebum Feythurr scrooged a look.

Jaw fetched me with iz pawney trap,
`Ee looked sum fitty twuz knaw doubt
In top ‘at un tails, sum andsum
Und a sheer white dicky dout.

Tha dance started frum tha Guildhall
Uz tha town clock struck mid-day,
Then tuz in und owt tha `owses
Ta tha junkshun with Trengrouse Way.

Then Wendrun Strait und Markutt Plaace
Und Church Strait then tha Willuz
Be tha time we cummed ta Lismore
We wuz pantun like tha billuz.

We ad a bit av croust, then
Tha band blawed up again
Then twuz bethink off ta Cross Strait
Ta Penhelluz un Tanyard Laane.

Leslie `Owse wuz next thing,
We swuung ta drum und band
Coosun long ta Bawlun Green
Through monument sa grand.

Be tha time we reached tha Guildhall
I wuz steamun like a crock,
Jaw wuz swaetun like a pawltuss you.
Well, twuz aff past one a clock.

We bin goin like tha clappurrs
Jaw’s faace wuz bright und glad,
“I tellee maid,” ee whispered ta me,
“Youm best pard I evurr ad.”

Since then I’ve dance tha Flora
Fun two score years und ten,
Me cheelds av danced tha Hal-an-tow
Dressed auvurr all at sebubm.

This year, I watched tha childrun
Dancun thru tha plaace
With me little Grancheeld mongst um
Tears av pride streamed down me faace.

Uz I stood with Jaw, `ee ‘ad me ‘and
Und whispered nist ta me,
“Do ee mind tha day maid I assed yurr dad
If you cud dance with me?”