Poetry & Art, Margaret Hamilton & Sam Skelton

Lament For A Lost Dinner Ticket

• BY (Margaret Hamilton)
• This is a poem written in 'Scots', maybe you will understand it and maybe not;  but it will be fun trying. To make it easier I have a video of the poem being spoken, it's much easier to understand the spoken word  than the written word. To compliment the poem I have found some rather nice paintings by a Contemporary Scottish a Artist called Sam Skelton. I think his work sits rather well with this poem so here it is and I hope you like it.

See ma mammy
See ma dinner ticket
A pitituma
Pokit an she pititiny
Washnmachine

See thou burnty
Up wherra firewiz

Ma mammy says Am no tellnyagain
No'y playnit
A jist wen'y eatma
Pokacrisps furma dinner
Nabigwoffldoon

The wummin sed Aver near
Clapsd
Jistur heednur
Wee wellies sticknoot

They sed Wot heppind?
Nme'nma belly
Na bedna hospital
A sed A pititnma
Pokit an she pititny
Washnmachine

They sed Ees thees chaild ebslootly
Non verbal?
A sed MA BUMSAIR
Nwen'y sleep

(as spoken by Adam McNaughtan)

Lament for a Lost Dinner Ticket is by Margaret Hamilton, and can be found in The Kist / A’ Chiste anthology (Learning and Teaching Scotland, 2001).

The Paintings are by Sam Skelton

BEST FRIENDS

CLOSE FRIENDS

DOUBLE DARE

FIRST DAY

Sam Skelton

Information from his web site

http://www.samskelton.co.uk/

 

Born 1949

Scottish

Skelton began his career as a graphic designer, which he studied at Glasgow School of Art. His art teacher at school had greatly encouraged his creativity, and Skelton continued to paint, putting work into a few galleries, until a few years ago demand for his paintings grew so that he could concentrate on it full time.

Skelton grew up in the industrial town of Kirkintilloch, and his memories of going to meet his father after school at the foundry where he worked, and watching the furnace workers, fill his paintings. His subjects are nostalgic evocations of Scotland’s industrial past: working class heroes, boxers, a couple on a park bench, a group of men in dark overcoats, watching a football game played on waste ground.

The stark simplicity of Skelton’s figures, painted on rough hessian, belie a rich heritage. These are the kids playing on the street so familiar from the paintings of Joan Eardley or the photographs of Oscar Marzaroli. The influence of the great industrial naïve painter J.S Lowry is clear. His paintings are suffused with the dark, low light of Scotland in winter, with the factory roof on the horizon line.

Skelton exhibits in Glasgow, London and Dublin, where he has a growing number of collectors

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU7isphuhJw&feature=player_embedded

delete reply skeezicks1957 wrote on Aug 23, '08 forgetmenot525 said They sed Wot heppind? This whole thing was darling even though I could not catch it all. But they said what happened made me smile. After all Wot Heppind?

delete reply shailajamohan wrote on Aug 21, '08 It was fun trying!! :-)

delete reply fluffyj wrote on Aug 21, '08 I'm hoping my interpretation was close enough. So love the accents, though the slang will throw me off in meaning pretty quickly. This was such a treat in words and art! -j

delete reply bostonsdandd wrote on Aug 21, '08 LOL Cute poem! My husband's family has Scottish backgrounds. I didn't get every word, but I got most of them. I LOVE their brogue :o). My favorite painting is "First Day." Sooo sweet :o)!

delete reply sylvie1 wrote on Aug 21, '08, edited on Aug 21, '08 I understood some, but not much. I family orignated in Scotland and came here in the 1700's to settle in the mountains of Virginia. There is a book about what happened to ehm called "Abbs Valley." It is a sad tale. These people were on my Grandfather's side. I like the looks of your site, it does feel peaceful. The lilt of that scottish voice was quite amazaig to my ear!! The artwork is simplistic and beautiful. Thanks for a lovely trip!!

delete reply sweetpotatoqueen wrote on Aug 21, '08 I love the art you included here as it goes with the child of the poem. Thank you for including the reading...I think I got most of it! (Hard accent to grab when the ear isn't used to it!)

delete reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Aug 20, '08 One has to train one's ear; still didn't get it all but I got the delightful gist. The art is wonderful with the poem. Thanks!

delete reply jadedruid wrote on Aug 20, '08 Very cute. I read it out loud and found myself automatically falling into the sing song meter. Very nice.

delete reply kwika wrote on Aug 20, '08 I love the paintings.

delete reply dianahopeless wrote on Aug 20, '08 How cute, and very nicely illustrated. http://dianahopeless.multiply.com/journal/item/343/Echoes_my_poem

delete reply millimusings wrote on Aug 20, '08 The paintings are darling to me. I loved them. LOL the cutest poem I enjoyed everything. Poetry Wednesday:Saturday Morning Local Organic Produce Market.

delete reply zafreud wrote on Aug 20, '08, edited on Aug 20, '08 starfishred said if you read it out loud it is easier to understand great loretta Yes, this the way I did it too...Even though English isn't my mother tongue, I managed to get it! (I think this is because I really love the sound of Scottish language, although I scarcely have the chance to hear it - in movies or some songs mostly!) The poem is so tenderly childlike, so into a kid's perspective!...And, yes, the paintings are the best match to it!!! Thank you very very much! :)

delete reply lezah62 wrote on Aug 17, '08 that is cute!!! just read it how it is written and remember their drawl!!

delete reply veryfrank wrote on Aug 17, '08 Hmm, I think that I can get that a ticket for a noon meal at school was left in a pocket and put through the washing machine. Other than that, I believe that I would have to speak to young Adam in person.

delete reply starfishred wrote on Aug 16, '08 if you read it out loud it is easier to understand great loretta