CLIVOR MEN!

TEUN-" Barbary Bell."

YE may talk aboot clivor men bein greet drinkers,
An' reckon yor-sel as a one 0' that sort,
An' run doon teetotal te cheps that's not thinkers,
But, hinny, what say ye to Cowen an' Burt?
Are they i' yor list amang a' yor greet talent,
If not, myek a fresh un if only for sport,
An' heed it wi' one 0' the best 0' Gud Templars,
The M.P. for Morpeth, the nyem Thomas Burt.

It's a credit to send for thor member a pitman,
They knew he desarved it, an' voted like men;
What he's deun issent halfwhat he's gan te de yit,man,
In Parliament seun he'll myek famous his nyem.
He talks like a man wiv his senses aboot him,
Thor's nowt stimulates him se much as the worth
Ov his awn canny frinds, an' they nivvor need doot him,
The workin-man's frind, an' the pride 0' the North.

Thor's uthers like him aw cud mention wi' plissure,
But, bliss ye, 'twad fill a big beuk such a size;
Thor nyems i' the North we respect an' we trissure,
Joe Cowen's anuther te open yor eyes:
He knaws mair aboot a' political hist'ry,
Then lots 0' greet statesmen that's got a grand nyem,
An' hoohe thinks on't a' te me's quite a myst'ry;
He'll myek his mark yit, lad, afore he cums hyem.

So dinnet brag se when ye talk aboot drinkers,
Or dinnet ye run the teetotalers doon;
Thor's men that's abstainers can prove as greet clinkers,
An' myek thor-sels knawn te the world i' renoon.
Sobriety myeks a man's heed always clearer,
He's welcum, respected, knaws hoo te behave;
Te byeth frinds an' family he'll ivor be dearer
It dissent need whiskey te myek a man brave.


-Source: Joe Wilson, (author) Songs and Drolleries, 1890