Pansies (Lawrence)/Red-Herring
RED-HERRING
My father was a working man
and a collier was he,
at six in the morning they turned him down
and they turned him up for tea.
and a collier was he,
at six in the morning they turned him down
and they turned him up for tea.
My mother was a superior soul
a superior soul was she,
cut out to play a superior rôle
in the god-damn bourgeoisie.
a superior soul was she,
cut out to play a superior rôle
in the god-damn bourgeoisie.
We children were the in-betweens
little non-descripts were we,
indoors we called each other you,
outside, it was tha and thee.
little non-descripts were we,
indoors we called each other you,
outside, it was tha and thee.
But time has fled, our parents are dead
we've risen in the world all three;
but still we are in-betweens, we tread
between the devil and the deep cold sea.
we've risen in the world all three;
but still we are in-betweens, we tread
between the devil and the deep cold sea.
O I am a member of the bourgeoisie
and a servant-maid brings me my tea—
But I'm always longing for someone to say:
'ark 'ere, lad! atween thee an' me
and a servant-maid brings me my tea—
But I'm always longing for someone to say:
'ark 'ere, lad! atween thee an' me
they're a' a b—d—lot o' ———s,
an' I reckon it's nowt but right
we should start an' kick their ———ses for 'em
an' tell 'em to ———.
an' I reckon it's nowt but right
we should start an' kick their ———ses for 'em
an' tell 'em to ———.