Scöl - shed - scöl
Tinkin apö scöl closures
Der boys peekin i mi windows, gaffin
at me apö der wye ta scöl. I sit apö da broo
at Mid Yell voe, luikin doon owre Ravensgjo
an Gardiestaing. A'm dat'n aald noo an wörn.
Whitna pictir. A shed wi a lean-tö apö ee end,
a shimley apö da tidder. Corrugated iron
wis shurley aa dey wir whin I wis beelt.
A'm gödless roosty noo. But still a shed.
Can you believe I wis da scöl at Gossabrough,
an fine I wis? An whitna boannie spot apö
da brae abön da straand. On simmer days
da bell wid bring bairns rinnin fae da beach,
bare taes shuggary wi saand fae playin dem
at denner time. Dey wir weel prammed in:
peerie tings o five ta lads o forteen - aa but men -
chantin der tables, scrittin der sclates.
I da winter der cots an böts wid dreep ita
mi porch, da door wid reesel. Mi stove wid roar
wi shivvel apön shivvel o col ta dry dem oot.
An dan hit cam dey closed me doon, turnt
da key a hidmist time an took da bairns awa
an I wis vod.
A'm hed anidder life sin sine: a shed,
a wirkin shed wi wid an men an whistlin. Hit's fine,
but no da sam as wi da bassel o da bairns, seein
dem come on.
Ithin mi draems der paintit me, laid oot
a gairden, an A'm a peerie scöl again, a eco-scöl.
Der a stirleen tizin dem apö da shimley. Tinks-du
mi Scöl - Shed - Scöl micht win da Turner prize?
Christine De Luca, 2012