The Wund and the Wetter – Gormers an’ sollans

As an example of Northumbrian,  Here is an extract from ‘The Wind & The Wetter’ by Katrina Porteous, accompanied by Chris Ormston.

 

Here is the extract being read by the author, accompanied by Chris Ormston on pipes

Gormers an’ sollans,
Tarrees an’ tudelems;

Sea-mice, waregeese,
Scoots an’ teerums,
Pees’its, pilots, little pickies,
Cuddy ducks an’ tommy noddies,
Wittery-wagtails, wullymints
An’ mullymacs, that cockle an’ spit.

An’ it’s nae bother at aa’;
Aa’ the tier ye dae
Is clash ‘em oot. Forgit the nyems –
We’ll nivvor be wantin’ them things ageyn:
Hoy the rubbish away –
The bairns’ blethor, the fishermen’s clatter,
Come wi’ the wund an’ gan wi’ the wetter…

The tuck, the butt, the byennie, the bratt,
The blackjack, the podler, the muckle sea-cat,
The piker, the skeldy, the finner, the plasher,
The paddle-hoosh an’ the fatther-lasher,
An’ beasties wi’ nyems tha’ ye’d nivvor believe
Tha’ craa’ through the wares an’ git fast i’ the creeves:

Pipers, wi’ lang legs like frogs,
Orchins, wi’ a thoosand progs,
Soockers an’ boockies,
Doggers an’ pillin’s,
Tyed-legs, kyel-frones,
Musk-shells, pap-stoenes,
Pistils an’ nancies an’ sixpenny-men…

But we’ll nivvor be wantin’ them things ageyn
For it’s nae slavver at aa’
T’ hoy the rubbish away –
Ower she gans, the frones an’ the swatters,
Come wi’ the wund an’ gan wi’ the wetter,
We’ll noe be wantin’ ’em noo… 

 

Another extract from ‘The Wund & the Wetter’ is available as a video

Share this content