SCOTS Project - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk Document : 655 Title : Dipper: 43 - Dinner at Downing Street Author(s): Dr James A Begg Copyright holder(s): Dr James A Begg Text 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 This work is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. The SCOTS Project and the University of Glasgow do not necessarily endorse, support or recommend the views expressed in this document. Information about document and author: Text Text audience General public: Audience size: 1000+ Text details Method of composition: Handwritten Year of composition: 1987 Word count: 543 General description: Anthology of prizewinning and other Scots poems, and short stories in Ayrshire Scots. Text medium Book: Radio: Other: Audiocassette Text publication details Published: Publisher: Luath Press Publication year: 1991 Place of publication: Barr, Ayrshire ISBN/ISSN: 0946487227 Edition: First Part of larger text: Contained in: The Dipper an the Three Wee Deils: Tales and Poems in Ayrshire Scots Editor: Authors: Dr. J. A. Begg and J. Reid Page numbers: 104-106 Text setting Leisure/entertainment: Private/personal: Text type Poem/song/ballad: Author Author details Author id: 623 Title: Dr Forenames: James Initials: A Surname: Begg Gender: Male Decade of birth: 1940 Educational attainment: University Age left school: 17 Upbringing/religious beliefs: Protestantism Occupation: Medical Practitioner Place of birth: New Cumnock Region of birth: S Ayr Birthplace CSD dialect area: Ayr Country of birth: Scotland Place of residence: Ayr Region of residence: S Ayr Residence CSD dialect area: Ayr Country of residence: Scotland Father's occupation: Clerical Officer, NCB Father's place of birth: Sandbank Father's region of birth: Argyll Father's birthplace CSD dialect area: Arg Father's country of birth: Scotland Mother's occupation: Primary Teacher Mother's place of birth: New Cumnock Mother's region of birth: S Ayr Mother's birthplace CSD dialect area: Ayr Mother's country of birth: Scotland Languages: Language: Danish Speak: No Read: No Write: No Understand: No Circumstances: A little Language: English Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Home, socially, at work Language: French Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Holidaying in France Language: Norwegian Speak: No Read: No Write: No Understand: No Circumstances: A little Language: Scots Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Home, socially, at work