Friday 15 July 2011

Timothy Winters Amen

I am using this poem about Timothy Winters in one of my services this weekend. Written By Charles Causley its from another age but its still true on several different levels. Amen, Amen, Amen.

Timothy Winters by Charles Causley
Timothy Winters comes to school
With eyes as wide as a football pool
Ears like bombs and teeth like splinters
A blitz of a boy is Timothy Winters
His belly is white, his neck is dark
And his hair is an exclamation mark
His clothes are enough to scare a crow
And through his britches the blue winds blow
When teacher talks he wont hear a word
And he shoots down dead the arithmetic bird
He licks the patterns off his plate
And he’s not even heard of the welfare state
Timothy Winters has bloody feet
And he lives in a house on Suez Street
He sleeps in a sack on the kitchen floor
And they say there aren’t boys like him any more
Old man Winters likes his beer
And his missus ran off with a bombardier
Grandma sits in the grate with a gin
And Timothy’s dosed with an aspirin
The welfare worker lies awake
But the laws as tricky as a ten foot snake
So Timothy Winters drinks his cup
And slowly goes on growing up
At Morning prayer the master helves
For children less fortunate than ourselves
And the loudest response in the room is when
Timothy Winters roars “amen”
So come one angel, come on ten
Timothy Winters says “Amen`
Amen amen amen amen
For Timothy Winters Lord
Amen. AMEN

4 comments:

Charlie said...

The brilliance of Charles Causley. You have to read it in an East Cornish accent to get the full effect.

KeyReed said...

I had to look up 'helves' but was none the wiser. I suppose it means 'holds in his thoughts/prayers'.

Revjeanrolt said...

Yes Tenon. You've got it. And Charlie. I often do at least try to get that wonderful slow delivery. I use a lot of his stuff here.

Ray Barnes said...

Poor little Timothy! What a picture this man draws. Never encountered him before - will read.
As ever, thanks Jean.