Some viewers may remember that I published some verses a few days ago – on November 14th, in a blog entitled ‘Mona Lisa Revisited’ . The photograph I used, taken by me recently in Church Street, Whitby, on the North Yorkshire coast, showed prominently the entrance to one of the town’s well-known ginnels, or Yards, called ‘ARGUMENTS YARD’.
This led me to ponder over the possible derivation of this ancient name for the short dark passageway leading directly down to the north bank of the harbour and the mouth of the River Esk. The following verses are the result of my deliberations . . .
ARGUMENTS YARD
All this is conjecture;
You don’t need a lecture
But, in doggerel verse,
Which could hardly be worse,
I’ll tell you a tale
Which will make you turn pale.
# # #
I tried very hard
To find ‘Arguments Yard’.
At last, when I’d found it,
Suspicion compounded,
I knew it was true;
It was no Avenue.
But a hotbed of squabble,
Of trouble and babble.
# # #
For once it befell
In this yard there did dwell
Large families three,
Who could never agree.
The ginnel they lived in,
Dwelt side-by-side in,
Was almost a tunnel
A regular funnel.
Lived so close together
They’d bicker and blether.
Their life was uphill
Without any goodwill.
# # #
So as this story goes
These neighbours were foes.
And they started to fight
Over which one was right.
They argued from dawn
From the day they were born,
And when evening had come
They continued the scrum.
All mired with scandals,
Both hoodlums and vandals.
Figures of shame
Who denied any blame.
They argued the toss
And got very cross;
Yelled over the fence;
The noise was intense.
They disturbed passers by
With the oaths they let fly.
Disagreed with each other,
With sister and brother.
Shouted and cursed –
The children were worst.
Each day they’d bicker,
Whilst knocking back liquor.
Complained, moaned and grumbled,
Botched, fudged and bungled.
Bemoaned their existence,
Claimed their subsistence.
Refused to comply,
Or for jobs to apply.
In short it was hell
In that yard to dwell.
And everyone near
Existed in fear.
# # #
Move on to the present;
Now, not so unpleasant.
It appears that now
All has sobered somehow.
Yes, there’s nothing more strange
Than how times do change.
I’m assured that now
Things are much more highbrow.
Yes, they’re now avant-garde
Down in Arguments Yard.
Another great post Roland. I loved the poem and also the historical context behind Arguments Yard.
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Thank you, Davy. No Argument with such comments!
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Oh yes there is. (Christmas is just around the corner) 🙂
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I think your poetic history / definition much more interesting than the old family connection!
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Many thanks, Maggie.
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i learned something new today…thanks Roland.. and ohh what a lovely poem
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Thank you, Michnavs. … & ohh what a lovely comment.
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