Document 655

Dipper: 43 - Dinner at Downing Street

Author(s): Dr James A Begg

Copyright holder(s): Dr James A Begg

Penned after a stimulating evening at the home of Joe Campbell, singer, poet, artist and Managing Director of West Sound Radio, during which he produced an invitation to dine with Mrs. Margaret Thatcher, the Prime Minister, at 10 Downing Street.

Last nicht, Joe lad, wis sic a pleisure,
Sweet Sheila is a lass tae treasure:
For meat an cheer o sic a measure
- An serr'd divinely,
This dreich grey morn nou at oor leisure,
We thenk ye kindly.

Wi meat for wame, an meat for thocht,
While ower the ample fare we wrocht,
The Brodies, Beggs an Campbells focht
Tae hae their say,
An Sheila, black-affrontit socht
Tae caa't a day!

Oot-nummert here by twae tae yin,
An scarcely heard abune the din,
Wee Helen haet a word got in,
Tae haud her grun,
While Tory men the buit pit in
- tho juist in fun.

Her Liberal mind wis sairly vexed
At whit on earth wis comin next,
An she an I were fair perplexed
By sherp Richt turns
Frae chiels sae steept in aa the texts
O Robert Burns!

For Burns's thochts are mair in tune
Wi whit you pair were dingin doun
Wi fiery words an fiercesome froun
- An frothin fit,
Than Tory tenets haundit doun
Frae William Pitt!

- An nou ye say ye're on the leet
Tae toddle doun tae Downing Street,
Tae sit amang the warld's elite,
An meet HERSEL,
For this maist unexpectit treat
We wish ye well!

For tho ye think ye're on a winner,
Invitit tae this sax-coorse dinner,
Beware gin ye're fand oot a sinner,
An cause a riot,
Gif Oxford Maggie kens ye're thinner
On a Cambridge Diet!

Ye said yersel ye didnae ken
Juist why abune aa ither men
The P.M. did this invite sen
On April furst,
But thinkin at the hinner-en,
I fear the warst!

I'm shuir she's seen her voters driftin,
The Balance o Pouer tae Centre shiftin,
An commandit yon Wee Malkie - Rifkin,
Tae stop the shambles,
- Tae gie her an image mair upliftin -
'Sen for the Campbells!'

'As foremost Captain of the Media,
Both Norman and the Party need ya,
We're here, dear Joe, to wine and feed ya
With sumptious fare,
A little chat, and then God-speed ya
Back to Ayr.'

Wi Tory funds a wee bit slack,
She'll mebbe try anither tack;
Nou that West Soun's in the Black,
- Wi profit up,
This swell soiree is juist tae mak
Ye cough it up!

Or mebbe nou she's on the Pension,
She's trauchlt sair wi strife an tension,
An wants ye juist tae gie a mention
O her name;
Makin shuir she'll get attention
I' yer Nursin Hame!

Like Helen ye're an avid reader,
Sae 'fore ye gang tae see Oor Leader,
An them that thinks they're aa a breed
Apairt, apairt,
She kindly thocht ye'd aiblins need
A chynge o hert!

She hopes as throu this buik ye thoum,
Tae its reasoned case ye micht succumb,
An realise 'The Time Has Come'
Tae show defiance,
Sae throw awa yer Tory drum
- An vote Alliance!!

___
dingin/knocking
hinner-en/the last

Information about Document 655

Dipper: 43 - Dinner at Downing Street