Poem: 70s and Belly Dancing

No sense o’ rhythm you see

A could manage barn dance an’ veleta

But foxtrot were too ’ard for me.

At one time A nearly could cha cha

But wi’ rumba an’ samba ’ad no chance.

A thowt a could waltz but if cornered too fast

A got dizzy an’ lost mi balance.

Me an’ mi friend tried modern sequence

But got frowned on for doin’ it wrong.

We mixed ’em all up int’ friendship waltz,

They weren’t very friendly for long.

But now in mi seventies ’Av cracked it,

Found summat better’n keep fit or Tai Chi.

A went to Age Concern down in Burnley,

Now it’s belly dancin’ for me.

A still haven’t much sense o’ rhythm

But can lift mi ’ips up, down an’ around.

We even have props like veils, fans an’ sticks;

Naughty? But nice so we’ve found.

No bellies are bared at our classes,

No tassels are dangled and swung,

But we have a good laugh an’ a giggle;

It dunt ’arf ’elp to mek you feel young.

Mrs Muriel Schofield

Jubilee Street

Burnley