Friday, 18 June 2021 10:36

Whit?

Written by
in Poetry
2214
Whit?

Whit?

by Jim Mainland

Na, na, na, na, na, hing on a meenit!

Du’s sayin if du gies dem lots a money
dey gie dee a lucrative contract
or a plum job?

Or if du’s related ta da boss
he maks dee Loard so-and-so
o somethin or idder?

An den pits dee in da, whit’s it caa’d,
‘Hoose of Loards’?

Awey du goes!

Whaar du gits tree hunder an twunty-tree
pound a day joost fir turnin up?

An du doesna hae ta stick aroond,
du can joost sign in den geeng hame
but still collect the penga?

Or joost geeng in an neeb aff trow it aa?
An cleym transport and travel expenses forbye?

Du’s takkin da piss!

But, I suppose, it’s good ta see da owlder fokk
bein treated wi respect.
Kinda progressive, you could say.

I bet da health an care wirkers git similar?

Whit’s du tellin me?

If du’s a care wirker an haes ta do a nicht-shift,
du canna even git da meenimum wage if du happens
ta sleep at ony point trow it?

Whit?

An foo much is yun meenimum wage?

Foo much?

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Jim Mainland

Jim Mainland is a graduate of Aberdeen University and until his recent retirement was Principal Teacher of English at Brae High School, Shetland.