Tatie Hash

By Lily Duncan-Birkhead

We allus hed sirloin on a Sunda -
Sizzlin from t'oven, I nivver did stall,

But Munda were weshday, an we hed meat cowd,
I were nivver struck on Mundas at all

Bi t'Tuesda t'joint looked poorly,
Almust dahn to skin an bone,

Mi Mam went at it wi t'carver -
But there want enough to serve up on its own. 

So she'd dice it up wi onions, taties & carrots
Add pearl barley "ta gi it strength", she said

An there were alus HP on t'table
An a crusty loaf a home baked bread

She'd ladle t'hash aht all steamin -
Right t'brim she'd fill ivvery plate

An when yer sat dahn to eat it she'd say:

"Yer mun whistle if yer find any meat"

Perhaps she slipped sommat else in it

A bit o love, some special care

Cos it alus tasted good

That plain owd fashioned fare

Time passes an things keep changing

Whether fo better o worse,

But nowt tastes like it used to

An t'price gives yer a pain in yer purse

Ivvery thing comes in tins or its frozen

"Were off fer t'Chinese" fowk'll say,

Or some weird an wonderful concoction 

They'll fetch from a 'take away'.

Ah suppose it's all reight for them as likes it,

An I could be imagination I lack

But I often wish yer could go aht an get 

A bag o 'Tek Yer Back'!

Then ther could keep all the fancy dishes

Yer pizzas, pasta, curries, goulash

Me? I'd settle any day

For a plate a mi Mam's tattle hash!