It was early last September nigh to Framlin'am-on-Sea,
An' 'twas Fair-day come to-morrow, an' the time was after tea,
An' I met a painted caravan adown a dusty lane,
A Pharaoh with his waggons comin' jolt an' creak an' strain;
A cheery cove an' sunburnt, bold o' eye and wrinkled up,
An' beside him on the splashboard sat a brindled tarrier pup,
An' a lurcher wise as Solomon an' lean as fiddle-strings
Was joggin' in the dust along 'is roundabouts and swings.
"Goo'-day," said 'e; "Goo'-day," said I; "an' 'ow d'you find things go,
An' what's the chance o' millions when you runs a travellin' show?"
"I find," said 'e, "things very much as 'ow I've always found,
For mostly they goes up and down or else goes round and round."
Said 'e, "The job's the very spit o' what it always were,
It's bread and bacon mostly when the dog don't catch a 'are;
But lookin' at it broad, an' while it ain't no merchant king's,
What's lost upon the roundabouts we pulls up on the swings!"
"Goo' luck," said 'e; "Goo' luck," said I; "you've put it past a doubt;
An' keep that lurcher on the road, the gamekeepers is out."
'E thumped upon the footboard an' 'e lumbered on again
To meet a gold-dust sunset down the owl-light in the lane;
An' the moon she climbed the 'azels, while a night-jar seemed to spin
That Pharaoh's wisdom o'er again, 'is sooth of lose-and-win;
For "up an' down an' round," said 'e, "goes all appointed things,
An' losses on the roundabouts means profits on the swings!"
Notes
Glossary
"Fair-day come to-morrow": the day before Fair-day.
"Pharaoh": man who provides amusements at fairs.
"cove": fellow (slang).
"tarrier": terrier.
"lurcher": cross-bred dog much used by poachers.
"roundabouts": merry-go-rounds.
"the very spit": the exact copy.
"night-jar": bird with monotonous song.
"sooth": truth, wise saying.
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Comments
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Thank you for posting this gem.
From guest Fisherwife from the coast of British Columbia (contact)
A few years back when I last searched, this oldie-but-goodie wasn't up on the web at all, as far as I could find, though it had been mentioned it in a discussion once. I'm delighted that it is available here now. I've just run across a 1926 edition of Narrative English Poems (MacDonald & Walker, first published 1925), a beloved anthology which in later editions changed title to Poems, Chiefly Narrative. Like the later editions I've seen, it includes this poem. In it, these lines differ: Line 1, one more hyphen: "Framlin'am-on-Sea" Line 2, "to-morrow" Line 6, "tarrier" (Line 15 is exactly as above) Line 16, final quote-mark is missing (clearly a typo) Line 17, a space in the middle of each "Goo' luck," Line 21, "night-jar" is hyphenated at the end of a line The poem is broken into three well-balanced stanzas by a blank line after every eight lines. I hope some generous soul on the Oldpoetry Team finds the time someday to track down the original source (cited below) and verify the spelling. The Notes for this poem in the back of that book read: Patrick R. Chalmers (1872- ) is a London banker, who writes verse of a cheerful tone, sometimes contributed to Punch. The selection in this volume is from his Green Days and Blue Days. 2. "Fair-day come to-morrow": the day before Fair-day. 4. "Pharaoh": man who provides amusements at fairs. 5. "cove": fellow (slang). 6. "tarrier": terrier. 7. "lurcher": cross-bred dog much used by poachers. 8. "roundabouts": merry-go-rounds. 13. "the very spit": the exact copy. 21. "night-jar": bird with monotonous song. 22. "sooth": truth, wise saying. -
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For Guest Fisherwife
Many many thanks for your recent message.
I have endeavoured to change the poem in line with your suggestions where appropriate and will indeed check against the original when the opportunity arises.
I have also taken the liberty of including your glossary in the poem-notes for those less familiar with the argot of the day.
The Oldpoetry Team appreciate the help given by discerning readers in keeping the site as accurate as possible for readers and students alike.
Jim
oldpoetry Research Team
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From guest alan (contact)
Am painting this scene from the anthology illustrated by Harry Clarke - "The Years at the Spring". Unfortunately he never illustrated this poem, I dont suppose it was his thing. But it is very much my thing, and a poem I know by heart since young, so we will give it a go. -
From guest Robert Arvid (contact)
Curious about Roundabout quote used by Vonnegut in Galapagos I googled poem and love it -
Roundabouts and Swings
From guest jean cox (contact)
Have been looking for this poem for years as I came first in the our of 40 children at the Enfield School poetry competition in 1945 (despite the bombs). -
Illustration
From guest Glyn Baker (contact)
I quite forgot to add this http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/200165 -
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for Glyn Baker
It took a while but I've managed to track down this poem in an Anthology and it is in fact correct as we see it here. However, thank you for pointing out what could easily have been an error. It is also interesting to see the image you gave on the link actually links back here to read the poem, which is a bonus for Oldpoetry.
Thank you for your interest.
Von - Oldpoetry Team
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Typo!
From guest G Baker (contact)
Sorry to be a pedant but in line 15 shouldn’t it read “we ain’t no merchant Kings” and not “it ain’t no merchant kings” .? My father performed Roundabouts and Swings as a child and he asked me to read it to him in his final few days of life. I can’t recite it or read it now without getting a lump in my throat. -
...me, too...
From guest Geoff Roberts (contact)
Like Norman Carter, I remembered this poem from childhood but, in my case, complete. I have a poetry book called "Poems of To-day" that belonged to my late mother in which it appears. The book was originally published in 1915, my mother's copy being from 1931, given to her to celebrate her 21st birthday - on 1st January 1932. Memories... -
TAKES ME BACK....
From guest Norman Carter (contact)
With the current BBC interest regarding poetry I started thinking back to childhood, 70 years back and of poems which I might recall. This is the one which I could still recite with the exception of one or two lines...... now I can memorise the lot! -
Childhood memories
From guest Tony Wickes (contact)
My father, Jack Wickes, used to recite this poem to me when a small boy in the 1940's, and it was one of the last things we shared, in conversation, before he died. (1915-1997) -
Glad to find this poem; one line had stuck in my memory.
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