{"id":2554,"date":"2014-12-08T12:03:42","date_gmt":"2014-12-08T12:03:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/?p=2554"},"modified":"2020-05-31T19:32:51","modified_gmt":"2020-05-31T19:32:51","slug":"listen-read","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/?p=2554","title":{"rendered":"Liz Lochhead  +  Ivor Cutler"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">\u00a4 &nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk\/poetry\/poets\/liz-lochhead\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Liz Lochhead<\/a>&nbsp;&nbsp;\u21d3<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/vimeo.com\/61216647\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-27007\" src=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/LizL.jpeg\" alt=\"LizL\" width=\"328\" height=\"184\" srcset=\"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/LizL.jpeg 410w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/LizL-300x168.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/LizL-150x84.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/LizL-400x224.jpeg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 328px) 100vw, 328px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>\u21d2<\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/literature.britishcouncil.org\/liz-lochhead\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Makar Liz Lochhead<\/strong><\/a>&nbsp;was born in 1947 in Motherwell, from where the family moved to the nearby village of Newarthill. It was a <em>\u201cvery normal, very Scottish, very proddy, posh working-class \/ lower middle-class life\u201d<\/em>. Everyone in family read a lot and used the public library as <em>\u201cthere wasn\u2019t much else to do\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Lochhead enrolled at Glasgow School of Art in 1965, and later taught art in schools for eight years. <em>\u201cWhen you\u2019re drawing, time passes incredibly quickly, you\u2019ve been in another kind of world. The best bits of writing are like that.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><strong>\u2022\u2192&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/books\/video\/2011\/dec\/19\/liz-lochhead-my-rivals-house-video\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Liz Lochhead<\/strong> reads her poem <\/a>\u21d4&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk\/poetry\/poems\/my-rivals-house\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">&#8216;My Rival&#8217;s House&#8217;<\/a>\u21d0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>\u2666 &nbsp;&#8216;Men Talk&#8217;&nbsp;&nbsp;\u21d3<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/SUhlskKe6BY\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Women r<\/span><\/strong><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">abbit rabbit rabbit&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Women &nbsp;tattle and titter &#8211; Women prattle&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Women waffle and witter&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Men Talk. Men Talk.&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Women into Girl Talk&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">About Women&#8217;s Trouble<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Trivia &#8216;n&#8217; Small Talk&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">They yap and they babble&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Men Talk. Men Talk.&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Women gossip Women giggle&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Women niggle-niggle-niggle&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Men Talk.&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Women yatter &nbsp;&#8211; w<\/span><\/strong><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">omen chatter&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Women chew the fat, women spill the beans&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Women aint been takin&#8217;&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">The oh-so Good Advice in them&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Women&#8217;s Magazines.&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">A Man Likes a Good Listener.&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Oh yeah&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">I like A Woman &nbsp;w<\/span><\/strong><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">ho likes me enough&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Not to nitpick, n<\/span><\/strong><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">ot to nag and&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Not to interrupt &#8216;cause I call that treason&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">A woman with the Good Grace&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">To be struck dumb&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">By me Sweet Reason. Yes &#8211; Remember<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">A Man Likes a Good Listener<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">A Real&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Man&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Likes a Real Good Listener&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Women yap yap yap&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Verbal Diarrhoea is a Female Disease&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Women she spread she rumours round she&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Like Philadelphia Cream Cheese&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Oh&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Bossy Women Gossip&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Girlish Women Giggle&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Women natter, women nag&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Women niggle niggle niggle&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Men Talk.&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Men _<\/span><\/strong><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Think First _&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Speak Later&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><br style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3e3e3e;\">Men Talk<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=GKkZ-nbj3kg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-46031\" src=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Men_Talki.png\" alt=\"Men_Talki\" width=\"283\" height=\"189\" srcset=\"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Men_Talki.png 283w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Men_Talki-150x100.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 283px) 100vw, 283px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h6 id=\"watch-headline-title\">\u2666&nbsp;&nbsp;Liz reads \u00abThe Choosing\u00bb plus a couple of verses by Robert Burns&nbsp;\u2193<\/h6>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">&nbsp;<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/LCYf4NsoyOY\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">We were first equal Mary and I<br>with the same coloured ribbons in mouse-coloured hair<br>and with equal shyness<br>we curtseyed to the lady councillor<br>for copies of Collins\u2019s Children Classics.<br>First equal, equally proud.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Best friends too Mary and I<br>a common bond in being cleverest (equal)<br>in our small school\u2019s small class.<br>I remember<br>the competition for top desk<br>or to read aloud the lesson<br>at school service.<br>And my terrible fear<br>of her superiority at sums.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">I remember the housing scheme<br>Where we both stayed.<br>The same house, different homes,<br>where the choices were made.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">I don\u2019t know exactly why they moved,<br>but anyway they went.<br>Something about a three-apartment<br>and a cheaper rent.<br>But from the top deck of the high school bus<br>I\u2019d glimpse among the others on the corner<br>Mary\u2019s father, mufflered, contrasting strangely<br>with the elegant greyhounds by his side.<br>He didn\u2019t believe in high school education,<br>especially for girls,<br>or in forking out for uniforms.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Ten years later on a Saturday \u2014<br>I am coming home from the library \u2014<br>sitting near me on the bus,<br>Mary<br>with a husband who is tall,<br>curly haired, has eyes<br>for no one else but Mary.<br>Her arms are round the full-shaped vase<br>that is her body.<br>Oh, you can see where the attraction lies<br>in Mary\u2019s life \u2014<br>not that I envy her, really.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">And I am coming from the library<br>with my arms full of books.<br>I think of the prizes that were ours for the taking<br>and wonder when the choices got made<br>we don\u2019t remember making.<\/p>\n<h6>\u2666 &nbsp;\u2192<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=L2PfrDrAIR0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kidspoem \/ Bairnsang <\/a>&nbsp;\u2193<\/h6>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">This poem, in Scots and English, starts in Scots, and then changes to English with the words:<\/p>\n<address style=\"text-align: right;\">\u00abit was January &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;and a really dismal day &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;the first day I went to school . . .\u00bb<\/address>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=vnsm4Iwo_XI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-50565\" src=\"http:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Bairnsang.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"618\" height=\"253\" srcset=\"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Bairnsang.jpg 618w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Bairnsang-300x123.jpg 300w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Bairnsang-150x61.jpg 150w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Bairnsang-400x164.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 618px) 100vw, 618px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>it wis January<br>and a gey driech day<br>the first day Ah went to the school<br>so my Mum happed me up in ma<br>good navy-blue napp coat wi the rid tartan hood<br>birled a scarf aroon ma neck<br>pu&#8217;ed oan ma pixie an&#8217; my pawkies<br>it wis that bitter<br>said noo ye&#8217;ll no starve<br>gie&#8217;d me a wee kiss and a kid-oan skelp oan the bum<br>and sent me aff across the playground<br>tae the place A&#8217;d learn to say<br>it was January<br>and a really dismal day<br>the first day I went to school<br>so my mother wrapped me up in my<br>best nay-blue top coat with the red tartan hood,<br>twirled a scarf around my neck,<br>pulled on my bobble-hat and mittens<br>it was so bitterly cold<br>said now you won&#8217;t freeze to death<br>gave me a little kiss and a pretend slap on the bottom<br>and sent me off across the playground<br>to the place I&#8217;d learn to forget to say<br>it wis January<br>and a gey driech day<br>the first day Ah went to the school<br>so my Mum happed me up in ma<br>good navy-blue napp coat wi the rid tartan hood,<br>birled a scarf aroon ma neck,<br>pu&#8217;ed oan ma pixie and&#8217; ma pawkies<br>it wis that bitter.<\/p>\n<p>Oh saying it was one thing<br>But when it came to writing it<br>In black and white<br>The way it had to be said<br>Was as if you were posh, grown-up, male, English and dead.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\">\u2022\u2192\u00bb<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk\/poetry\/poems\/trouble-not-my-middle-name\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Trouble is not my middle name<\/a><\/strong>\u00bb \u21d4&nbsp;(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=qnMqNYsF_jY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">written from a child\u2019s perspective<\/a>)<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>\u00a4 &nbsp;Ivor Cutler &nbsp;\u21d3 &nbsp;[1923-2006]&nbsp;<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=r0Klu763bik\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-46912\" src=\"http:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Ivor_Cutler.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"253\" height=\"277\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"font-size: 13px;\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/cCTy4LVlb50\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<address id=\"watch-headline-title\" style=\"text-align: right;\"><span style=\"color: #333300;\">The Best Thing about being <strong>dead<\/strong> is that you no longer have to say,&nbsp;<strong><em>\u00abI wish I were dead\u00bb<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/address>\n<address style=\"text-align: right;\"><span style=\"color: #333300;\">The Best Thing about being&nbsp;<strong>alive<\/strong> is that you can still say,&nbsp;<strong><em>\u00abI wish I were dead\u00bb<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/address>\n<p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;<strong>&nbsp;&#8216;Bread &amp; Butter&#8217;\u2192<\/strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.allmusic.com\/album\/velvet-donkey-mw0000741483\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-46034 alignnone\" src=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/bread-butter.jpg\" alt=\"bread-butter\" width=\"171\" height=\"126\" srcset=\"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/bread-butter.jpg 283w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/bread-butter-150x111.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 171px) 100vw, 171px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<address><span style=\"color: #003300;\">Bread is a word &nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;Butter is a word<\/span><\/address>\n<address><span style=\"color: #003300;\">You cannot place them together:<\/span><\/address>\n<address><span style=\"color: #003300;\">it is <em>\u00abbread <strong>and<\/strong> butter\u00bb,<\/em>&nbsp;or <em>\u00abbutter <strong>on<\/strong> bread\u00bb<\/em>.<\/span><\/address>\n<address><span style=\"color: #003300;\">Yet, if you search between the bread and the butter<\/span><\/address>\n<address><span style=\"color: #003300;\">you will find neither <em>\u00ab<strong>and<\/strong>\u00ab<\/em> nor <em>\u00ab<strong>on<\/strong>\u00ab<\/em><\/span><\/address>\n<address><span style=\"color: #003300;\">Just butter &#8211; Just bread.<\/span><\/address>\n<h6 style=\"text-align: center;\">\u2666\u2192 &nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=jpZ_qneYgeE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u00abA Doughnut In My Hand\u00bb<\/a>&nbsp;\u21d0<\/h6>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">I need nothing &nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;I&#8217;ve everything I need<br>I walk along the dusty road &nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;a doughnut in my hand<br>The sun is round and yellow &nbsp;and it shines upon my feet<br>I&#8217;ve walked a hundred yards &nbsp;and I&#8217;m not the least bit tired<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">I need nothing &nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;I&#8217;ve everything I need<br>I walk along the dusty road &nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;a doughnut in my hand<br>The cloud is white upon the sky<br>as white as a woman&#8217;s skin<br>I&#8217;ve walked another hundred yards<br>and I&#8217;m not the least bit tired<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">I need nothing &nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;I&#8217;ve everything I need<br>I walk along the dusty road &#8211;&nbsp;a doughnut in my hand<br>I bumped into a dairy bush with cows on every twig<br>I squeezed myself a glass of milk &#8211;&nbsp;my thirst went up like smoke<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">I need nothing &nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;I&#8217;ve everything I need<br>I walk along the dusty road a _<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">I stumbled by a sailor &nbsp;who was lying by the road<br>I kissed his lips and made him wince &nbsp;and then I stumbled on<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">I need nothing &#8211;&nbsp;I&#8217;ve everything I need<br>I walk along the dusty road &nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;a doughnut in my hand<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">I spied a silken coffin &nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;the lid was open wide<br>I wrapped my shirt &nbsp;right round my legs<br>And laid down flat inside<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">I need nothing &nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;I&#8217;ve everything I need<br>I lie upon the coffin &#8211;&nbsp;A doughnut in my hand<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-47125\" src=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/doughnut.jpg\" alt=\"doughnut\" width=\"331\" height=\"248\" srcset=\"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/doughnut.jpg 480w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/doughnut-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/doughnut-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/doughnut-400x300.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 331px) 100vw, 331px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/IvorCutlerLifeinaScotchSitt.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-2624\" src=\"http:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/IvorCutlerLifeinaScotchSitt.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"392\" height=\"390\" srcset=\"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/IvorCutlerLifeinaScotchSitt.jpg 237w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/IvorCutlerLifeinaScotchSitt-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 392px) 100vw, 392px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/artanddesign\/2015\/feb\/03\/martin-honeysett\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-50566\" src=\"http:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Honeysett_Roundtable.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"518\" srcset=\"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Honeysett_Roundtable.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Honeysett_Roundtable-300x152.jpg 300w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Honeysett_Roundtable-768x389.jpg 768w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Honeysett_Roundtable-150x76.jpg 150w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Honeysett_Roundtable-400x202.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Ivor<\/strong>&#8216;s early childhood memories&#8230; &nbsp;Some words have been <strong>linked<\/strong> to their meanings: just click.<\/span><\/p>\n<h6><strong>\u25ca &nbsp;&nbsp;<strong>Episode 1<\/strong><\/strong>&nbsp; \u2193 &nbsp;[Listen &amp; read]<\/h6>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/GX1DVnNWtGY\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>We walked around eating <a href=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/porridge.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">porridge<\/a> as taught, or sat looking glum on the velvet suite staring at the onyx clock which would not tell the time any more. But it was decorative, like the Parthenon, except that it held St Paul&#8217;s dome at the middle. If you put your finger in at the back, you could make it chime by listing the hammers, then letting them fall on to stop the copper wires down below. Granda&#8217; did it at least once every hour, and had to be restrained during the night, particularly when losing at whist or nine-dot dominoes.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Although it had a pattern, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/crumbs.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">crumbs<\/a> on the carpet weren&#8217;t wanted. We were obliged to kneel and eat cream crackers with butter and Gouda with a white&nbsp;plate, with our heads inside the sideboard. This was a treat! Because there was room for four and in the luminous gloom we whispered jokes so that when laughter rose, showers of buttery spitty crumbs flew out our mouths like starlings and lodged against the aromatic mahogany, second magnitude stars. If somebody <a href=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/choke.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">choke<\/a>, you got quite big bits.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>The children micturated on to a large sponge which sat by the window. If it was boys, the girls had to look hard at their sewing&nbsp;with their fingers by their ears. If it was girls, the boys had to clasper in a group in a far corner whilst Grandpa&#8217; showed them a postcard of the Rokeby Venus in colour and explained it to them till the girls&#8217; knickers were safety up again and hidden. The adults just did it out the window, standing or sitting, according to piss or sex. Voiding the bowels in those days was unheard of; people just kept it in. Grandma&#8217; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/wring.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">wrung<\/a> the sponge out the window twice a day in summer, seven in winter, never without a grim twinkle in her eyes, or at least what seemed to be a grim twinkle.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h6 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u00b6&nbsp; Life in a Scotch Sitting Room<\/strong>, part II &nbsp;\u2193&nbsp; <strong>Episode 2&nbsp;<\/strong><\/span><\/h6>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/h58ufdv8bNo\" width=\"420\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">&#8216;Come <strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/lad.jpeg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\">lads<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong>, what shall we play at today?&#8217; whispered Grandpa, busily dandling us.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">&#8216;The seaside! The seaside!&#8217; we shouted.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">&#8216;Down the River Clyde!&#8217; I added, for which impertinence I received a mighty <strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/buffet.gif\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\">buffet<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong>, bleeding my tender nose with his vast white <strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/buffet.gif\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\">knuckle<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong>. How was I to know that I was mouthing obscenity? But the blood soon dried and I had the pleasure of picking the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/clot.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\">clots<\/span><\/span><\/strong>.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.martinhoneysett.com\/cartoons\/index.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2624 alignright\" title=\"IvorCutlerLifeinaScotchSittingRoom\" src=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/IvorCutlerLifeinaScotchSitt.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"237\" height=\"236\" srcset=\"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/IvorCutlerLifeinaScotchSitt.jpg 237w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/IvorCutlerLifeinaScotchSitt-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 237px) 100vw, 237px\" \/><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">He rose, and we slid over the edge of his <strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/kilt.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\">kilt<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong>. Out the cupboard came the tin lid of <\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Troon sand,<\/span> <span style=\"color: #000000;\">sadly depleted, and two milk jugs with decent spouts. We stood in a rough quadrant holding forth our left hands according to custom, but I didn&#8217;t mind as I was left-handed, even though my co-ordination was poor owing to the myelin shortage. Grandpa moved round placing a grain of sand on every hand. Then he started a second round, and a third. And I held the big quartz grain, almost twice the size. He spotted the envy on other faces.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">&#8216;I bled his <a href=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/neb.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\">neb<\/span><\/span><\/strong>,<\/a>&#8216; he grunted.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">We went off to play. Each girl chose a boy to sit cross-legged before as she <span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/knitting1.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\">knitted<\/span><\/a><\/strong>.<\/span> Her job was to<strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/blow.gif\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"> blow<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong> into his face and hair like a breeze. Grandma came round with a lump of coarse salt and scraped a few grains on to every girl&#8217;s <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Tongue.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\">tongue<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/strong>. If a fleck of spit hit you, the illusion was complete. Then she filled a milk jug with <strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/treacle.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\">treacle<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong> and poured it back and forward from jug to jug, spilling barely a dribble. It sounded like estuary <strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/wave.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\">waves<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong>, which was the only kind we knew.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">There were many sorts of games to play with our three grains of sand: juggling, building castles, digging holes, making faces, reflecting light to dazzle Grandpa as he sat muttering and picking at his <strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/sporran.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\">sporran<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong>, knocking them together to see if they would fetch the <strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/stonechat.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\">stonechat<\/span><\/a> <\/span><\/strong>from his bush in the garden. I used to be able to sniff them up one <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/nostril.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\">nostril<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/strong>, tilt my head and catch them out the other.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">When it became too dark to see, the sand was collected in. Grandpa never counted &#8211; we were on our honour. The first to hand in his sand got sucking spilled treacle out the tufts of the carpet. I am convinced the girls enjoyed the day&#8217;s outing as much as we did, in a placid way. Then we had tea.<\/span><\/p>\n<h6 style=\"text-align: center;\">&nbsp;<\/h6>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>\u2207 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/strong><strong>Episode 6&nbsp;<\/strong><span style=\"font-size: 0.83em;\">&nbsp; &nbsp;<\/span><\/h5>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=w6HTIm5Yuwc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-44539 alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/herring.jpg\" alt=\"herring\" width=\"295\" height=\"126\" srcset=\"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/herring.jpg 295w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/herring-150x64.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 295px) 100vw, 295px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>\u2190&#8217;Scotland gets its brains from the <strong>herring<\/strong>,&#8217;<\/em> said Grandpa, and we all nodded our heads with complete incomprehension. Sometimes, for a treat, we got playing with their heads; glutinous bony affairs, without room for brains, and a look of lust on their narrow soprano jaws.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The time I lifted the lid of the midden on a winter night, &nbsp; and there,&nbsp;&nbsp; a cool blue gleam &#8211; herring heads . . .&nbsp; Other heads do not gleam in the dark. So perhaps Grandpa was right.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">To make sure we ate the most intelligent herring, he fished the estuary. Planted a notice, <em>&#8216;Literate herring this way!<\/em>&#8216; below the water-line at the corner where it met the sea. The paint for the notice was made of crushed heads. Red-eyed herring, <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/soreyes.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">sore<\/a><\/strong> from&nbsp; reading, would round the corner, read the notice and sense the estuary water, bland and eye-easing. A few feet brought them within the confining friendliness of his manilla net and a purposeful end.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There was only one way to cook it: a deep <strong><a title=\"batter\" href=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/batter.gif\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">batter<\/a><\/strong> of porridge left from breakfast was patted round and it was fed on to the hot <strong><a title=\"griddle\" href=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/griddle.jpeg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">griddle<\/a><\/strong> athwart the coal fire. In seconds, a thick aroma leaned around and bent against the walls. We lay down and dribbled on the carpet. Also, the air was fresher. Time passed. In exactly twenty-five minutes the porridge cracked, and juice steamed through with a glad fizz. We ate the batter first to take the edge off our appetites, so that we could eat the herring with respect. Which we did,&nbsp; including the bones.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">After supper, assuming the herring to have worked, we were asked questions. In Latin, Greek and Hebrew, we had to know the principal parts of verbs. In Geography, the five main glove-manufacturing towns in the Midlands, and in History, the development of Glasgow&#8217;s sewage system.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There&#8217;s nothing quite like a Scotch education. One is left with an irreparable debt. My head is full of irregular verbs still.<\/p>\n<h6 id=\"watch-headline-title\" style=\"text-align: center;\">\u2666 &nbsp;&nbsp;&#8216;Go and sit upon the grass&#8217;&nbsp;\u2193 [Robert Wyatt&#8217;s cover]<\/h6>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kWZs7N7_5EQ\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<address style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Go and sit upon the grass&nbsp;and I shall come and sit beside you&nbsp;&#8230;<\/strong><\/address>\n<address style=\"text-align: center;\">Then we shall talk<\/address>\n<address style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>While we talk I&#8217;ll hit your head with a nail&nbsp;to make you understand me&nbsp;&#8230;<\/strong><\/address>\n<address style=\"text-align: center;\">&nbsp;<\/address>\n<address style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Go and sit upon the grass&nbsp;and I shall come and sit beside you &#8230;&nbsp;<\/strong><\/address>\n<address style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Do not mind if I thump you&nbsp;when I am talking to you&nbsp;<\/strong><\/address>\n<address style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>I have something important to say&nbsp;&#8230;<\/strong><\/address>\n<address style=\"text-align: center;\">&nbsp;<\/address>\n<address style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Go and sit upon the grass&nbsp;and I shall come and sit beside you &#8230;&nbsp;<\/strong><\/address>\n<address style=\"text-align: center;\">When I&#8217;m gone, you can feel the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/?attachment_id=44593\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">lumps&nbsp;<\/a>upon your head<\/address>\n<address style=\"text-align: center;\">and think about what I said,&nbsp;&nbsp;and think about what I said<\/address>\n<address style=\"text-align: center;\">Go and sit upon the grass&nbsp;and feel your <a href=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/?attachment_id=44593\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>lumps&nbsp;<\/strong><\/a><\/address>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymotion.com\/video\/xc86ab\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-51035\" src=\"http:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/david-shrigley.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"492\" height=\"266\" srcset=\"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/david-shrigley.jpg 546w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/david-shrigley-300x162.jpg 300w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/david-shrigley-150x81.jpg 150w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/david-shrigley-400x216.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 492px) 100vw, 492px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><strong>\u0398&nbsp; <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=-NASRSoBWxg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>&#8216;I&#8217;m Happy&#8217;<\/strong><\/a> <em>\u21d1&nbsp;<\/em><em> I&#8217;m happy and I&#8217;ll punch the man who says I&#8217;m not <\/em><em>. . . [Ouch!]<\/em><\/p>\n<h6><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">\u25ca &nbsp;&#8216;A Red Flower&#8217; &nbsp;\u2193<\/span> &nbsp;[animation by&nbsp;<strong>David Shrigley]<\/strong><\/h6>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kePBdBeCrYU\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<address><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>&#8216;Good morning, madam.&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><\/address>\n<address><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>&#8216;Good morning. I wish to buy a red flower.&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><\/address>\n<address><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>&#8216;Certainly, madam. Is there any particular variety of flower you had in mind?&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><\/address>\n<address><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>&#8216;I wish to buy a red flower.&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><\/address>\n<address><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>&#8216;Certainly, madam. A large red flower, or a small one?&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><\/address>\n<address><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>&#8216;Size is a matter of indifference to me, just so it is a red flower.&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><\/address>\n<address><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>&#8216;Certainly, madam. A hyacinth, a crocus, or a daffodil, or perhaps one of those charming lobelias,&nbsp; or we have narcissus,&nbsp; old man&#8217;s beard and dandelion,&nbsp; and&nbsp;colts foot too, of course.&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><\/address>\n<address><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>&#8216;I don&#8217;t really mind, just so it is a red flower.&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><\/address>\n<address><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>&#8216;Certainly, madam. Pray be seated. Our Miss Jones will attend you&#8230;&nbsp;<\/strong><\/span><\/address>\n<address><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>Miss Jones, madam wishes to purchase a red flower.&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><\/address>\n<address><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/address>\n<address><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>&#8216;Madam.&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><\/address>\n<address><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>&#8216;I should like a red flower.&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><\/address>\n<address><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>&#8216;Certainly, madam.&nbsp; Any particular variety?&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><\/address>\n<address><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>&#8216;Yes, red.&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><\/address>\n<address><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>&#8216;Ah! A large or small flower, madam?&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><\/address>\n<address><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>&#8216;Size is a matter of indifference to me. Just so it is red.&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><\/address>\n<address><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>&#8216;Yes, madam. Would this white hyacinth do?&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><\/address>\n<address><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>&#8216;Yes, indeed. It would do excellently well.&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><\/address>\n<address><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>&#8216;Will you take it, or shall I send it?&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><\/address>\n<address><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>&nbsp;&#8216;Would you please send it.\u2019<\/strong><\/span><\/address>\n<address><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>&#8216;Certainly, madam. Any particular address?&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><\/address>\n<address><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>&#8216;No. No particular address. Just be sure to send it, and thank you. Good morning!&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><\/address>\n<address><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>&nbsp;&#8216;Good morning, madam.&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><\/address>\n<h6 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">\u2666 &nbsp;Ivor Cutler&#8217;s Phonic Poem &nbsp;\u2193<\/span><\/h6>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bFSqpg2Y5gY\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>A car can go fast on a hill with no brakes and oil on the hump<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>it cannot stop so it has a spill mum and dad get a cut<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>see Bill bleed&nbsp;&nbsp; &#8211;&nbsp; bleed Bill bleed<\/strong> <strong>Kate do not cry &nbsp;&#8211; &nbsp;<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>if you do Ann will be sad to see it and Ted will fret<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Phil run to the phone for a nurse to make us well<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>I see nurse \u2013 Nurse, make us well<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>we are ill from a spill on the road as we took a spin<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>dad has a cut on his lip &#8211; it hit the wheel as he drove fast<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>mum cut her cheek &#8211; see how it shines<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Bill is dead &#8211; he lost his blood in the crash<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Kate, Ann and Ted are sad for Bill &#8211; he was their chum<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong>Phil will walk us home along the pavement to our house<\/strong> <strong>29 Redburn Avenue.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<h6 style=\"text-align: right;\">\u21d3 &nbsp; &#8216;I Think Very Deeply&#8217;<\/h6>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/k04_EhgOZog\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\">I think very deeply I&#8217;m a really good thinker People don&#8217;t bother me much they can see I&#8217;m using my mind<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\">Watch my conclusions <strong>oom hoom hoom hoom hoom hoom&nbsp;<\/strong> <strong>hoom hoom<\/strong><\/p>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #333300;\">\u25ca&nbsp; &#8216;GRUTS FOR TEA&#8217; &nbsp;\u2193<\/span><\/h5>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=nKRKKXN28c4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-50568\" src=\"http:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Gruts-for-tea.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"347\" height=\"260\" srcset=\"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Gruts-for-tea.jpg 480w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Gruts-for-tea-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Gruts-for-tea-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Gruts-for-tea-400x300.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 347px) 100vw, 347px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #333300;\"><strong>&#8216;Hello, Billy, teatime!&nbsp;&nbsp; Gruts for tea! &#8211; Billy! Billy!&nbsp; Come on, son. Gruts for tea!&nbsp;<\/strong><strong>Fresh gruts!&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #333300;\"><strong>&#8216;Oh, I don&#8217;t want gruts for tea, Daddy.&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #333300;\"><strong>&#8216;What? I went out specially and got them for you.\u2019<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #333300;\"><strong>&#8216;Aw, but Daddy, we had gruts yesterday.&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #333300;\"><strong>\u2018Look, son, I walked seven miles to the Hi8h Wood to get you gruts. That&#8217;s fourteen miles in all, counting the journey back, and you don&#8217;t want gruts?&nbsp;&nbsp; I fried them for you.&nbsp; Fried gruts&nbsp;&nbsp; &#8211; mm \u2013&nbsp; I fried them in butter.&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #333300;\"><strong>&#8216;I don&#8217;t want them, Daddy.&nbsp;&nbsp; Daddy, we&#8217;ve had gruts for three years now.&nbsp;&nbsp; I&#8217;m fed up with gruts. I don&#8217;t want them any more. Daddy, can&#8217;t we have something else for tea?&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #333300;\"><strong>&#8216;Oh, son! Gruts! They&#8217;re lovely.&#8217;<a style=\"color: #333300;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.martinhoneysett.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-39216\" src=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/gruts.jpg\" alt=\"gruts\" width=\"264\" height=\"340\" srcset=\"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/gruts.jpg 264w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/gruts-232x300.jpg 232w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/gruts-116x150.jpg 116w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 264px) 100vw, 264px\" \/><\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #333300;\"><strong>&#8216;Daddy, I don&#8217;t want gruts any more. I hate gruts. I detest them. I have them every day and they&#8217;re always fried in buffer. Can&#8217;t you think of another way of cooking gruts? There&#8217;s hundreds of ways of cooking gruts: boil them or bake them or stew them or braise them &#8211; but every day &#8211; fried gruts. <em>\u00abBilly, come in for tea. Fried gruts. I&#8217;ve walked fourteen miles. Seven miles to the High Wood and back.\u00bb<\/em>&nbsp; Three years of gruts. Look what it&#8217;s done to me, Daddy! Come here! Come here into the bedroom and look at ourselves in the mirror, you and me. Now, look at that!&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #333300;\"><strong>&#8216;Yes. I see what you mean. Son, let&#8217;s not waste these gruts. Tomorrow I&#8217;ll go to the High Wood and get something else.&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #333300;\"><strong>&#8216;Look, Daddy, you&#8217;ve been saying this for three years now. Every day we have this same thing. I take you to the mirror and you say we&#8217;ll have something else for tea. What else is there in the High Wood besides gruts?&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #333300;\"><strong>&#8216;Well, there&#8217;s leaves, bark, grass, and leaves. Gruts are really the best. You must admit it.&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #333300;\"><strong>&#8216;Yes, Daddy, I admit it.&nbsp; Gruts are really the best, but I don&#8217;t want them. I hate them.&nbsp;<\/strong><strong>I detest them. In fact I&#8217;m going&#8217; to take this panful of gruts and throw them out.\u2019<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #333300;\"><strong>&#8216;Oh, don&#8217;t do that! Don&#8217;t throw them out for goodness&#8217; sake! You&#8217;ll poison the dog!&#8217;<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\">\u2207 &nbsp; A Steady Job &nbsp;\u21d3<\/h5>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/6yKu2lDsV-c\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8216;Hello, Sam!\u00b4<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8216;Hello, Daddy. You back?&#8217;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8216;Yes, son. What in the &#8211; where&#8217;s your mother?\u00b4<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8216;She&#8217;s in the house, somewhere.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8216;Doris! Doris, what the hell&#8217;s Sam doing out in the garden buried up to his ankles?\u00b4<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8216;Oh, Bill. I&#8217;m so glad you&#8217;re home, dear. Three weeks is a long time.?<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8216;Yes, darling. What&#8217;s Sam doing out in the garden?&#8217;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8216;Bill, I&#8217;m broken-hearted. Oh, I&#8217;m so glad you&#8217;re home. Bill! I don\u00b4t know where to begin. The day after you went, some kid at school told Sam he was small. You know how sensitive Sam is. He came home, dug a couple of little holes in the garden, stuck his feet in, stamped the earth down and poured some water over himself and stood there &#8211; all night. I didn&#8217;t find out till the next morning and I said, \u00abWhat are you doing, Sam?\u00bb and he said, \u00abI&#8217;m trying to grow,\u00bb and he told me about this fellow at school. I tried to dissuade him but you know Sam. Well, at the end of the week I thought I&#8217;d had enough. Despite his protests, I tried to dig him out &#8211; and I couldn&#8217;t.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8216;What do you mean, dear?&#8217;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8216;He&#8217;d taken root.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8216;Taken root! You&#8217;re mad!&#8217;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8216;No, I&#8217;m not. His toes have started to grow and have worked their way down into the earth.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8216;You mean you can&#8217;t &#8211; get him out? Surely you can find which way his toes have gone and ease them out.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8216;Oh, you don&#8217;t understand, Bill. Bill, they&#8217;ve &#8211; grown all in different directions.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8216;Yes, but it&#8217;s not an impossible job.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8216;Bill, Sam is going to have to stay there for ever. Two of his toes have gone under the electric railway at the bottom of the garden and are up in a garden on the other side &#8211; lucky it&#8217;s someone we know. We&#8217;ll never be able to get him out. I spoke to the railway company. They refuse to allow tunnelling underneath their line. They were pretty mad with his toes growing under the line as it is.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8216;Do you mean that Sam is there for ever?&#8217;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8216;Yes. Yes, Bill. I foolishly let Sam know about this, and he was as pleased as punch; you see &#8211; he&#8217;s very happy there &#8211; growing &#8211; in the garden.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8216;But we can&#8217;t have that.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8216;Oh, Bill, you know you said that you would let Sam do whatever he wanted to. He&#8217;s old enough now to know his own mind. He wants to stand in the garden and grow. I think we ought to let him. Don&#8217;t you?&#8217;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8216;All right then, Doris.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8216;Bill. Go and tell Sam that it&#8217;s all right. He&#8217;s worried about you.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8216;OK, Doris, I&#8217;ll tell him. &nbsp;(Loud) &nbsp;Sam! It&#8217;s all right!&#8217;<\/p>\n<h6 style=\"text-align: center;\">\u221e &nbsp;&#8216;An Unexpected Join&#8217; + &#8216;A Wooden Tree&#8217; &nbsp;\u21d3<\/h6>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Nv8ybnQfLjo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-44627\" src=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/aWt.jpg\" alt=\"aWt\" width=\"185\" height=\"186\" srcset=\"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/aWt.jpg 250w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/aWt-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 185px) 100vw, 185px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><em>&#8216;The earth meets the sky over the hill,&#8217;<\/em> I was told by a sparrow with a <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/?attachment_id=44593\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">lump<\/a><\/strong> on his head.<\/p>\n<address style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><strong>Hey look there at the back, a wooden tree, isn&#8217;t it a pretty one?<\/strong><\/em><\/address>\n<address style=\"text-align: center;\">I called my father to come and look &#8211; He cleaned his throat, he started to sing<\/address>\n<address style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><strong>Hey look there at the back, a wooden tree, isn&#8217;t it a pretty one?<\/strong><\/em><\/address>\n<address style=\"text-align: center;\">He hollered, <em>&#8216;Wife!&#8217;<\/em> &#8211; that&#8217;s my mother &#8211; She took a look, began to below<\/address>\n<address style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><strong>Hey look there at the back, a wooden tree, &nbsp;a pretty one?<\/strong><\/em><\/address>\n<address style=\"text-align: center;\">She called my sister &#8211; was in the bath &#8211; took a hell of a fright, she lost the sponge and started to moan<\/address>\n<address style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><strong>Hey look, a wooden tree, isn&#8217;t it a pretty one?<\/strong><\/em><\/address>\n<address style=\"text-align: center;\">And stared at the back &#8230; and stared at the back &#8230; and stared at the back &#8230;<\/address>\n<address style=\"text-align: center;\">She called my brother, who was right at the back, the flat of the front, to come and look<\/address>\n<address style=\"text-align: center;\">But he wouldn&#8217;t come for she hated the words but he knew the tune so he started to hum<\/address>\n<address style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><em>Hm &#8230; &nbsp;hmmm &#8230; hmm &#8230; hmmm &#8230;<\/em><\/strong><\/address>\n<address style=\"text-align: center;\">Along came an artist with paint on his brush &#8211;&nbsp;He painted the tree, and now it looks horrible<\/address>\n<address style=\"text-align: center;\">But we keep on singing because we are optimists &#8230;&nbsp;<em><strong>Hey &#8211; look!<\/strong><\/em><\/address>\n<address>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; *&nbsp; &nbsp; *&nbsp; &nbsp; *<\/address>\n<h6 id=\"watch-headline-title\" style=\"text-align: right;\">\u2666 &nbsp;&#8216;My Wee Pet&#8217;&nbsp;\u2193&nbsp;Live 1986<\/h6>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/7tgUrNSMaW0\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<address style=\"text-align: right;\">What do I see? A fly and a wasp &#8211; A wasp and a mushy well<\/address>\n<address style=\"text-align: right;\">A mushy well in the ground, and the ground sailing ground and drowned<\/address>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><em>Come closer, What do you see?<\/em><\/p>\n<address style=\"text-align: right;\">I see a flea on a fly &#8211; A fly and a wasp &#8211; A wasp and a mushy well<\/address>\n<address style=\"text-align: right;\">A mushy well in the ground, and the ground sailing ground and drowned<\/address>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><em>Just a minute, I&#8217;ll ask my wee chameleon what it sees&#8230;<\/em><\/p>\n<address style=\"text-align: right;\">I see an [&#8230;?] on a flea &#8211; A flea on a fly &#8211; A fly and a wasp &#8211; A triple-decker sandwich<\/address>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><em><a href=\"http:\/\/vimeo.com\/61256358\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-47128 alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/WotW.jpg\" alt=\"WotW\" width=\"176\" height=\"176\" srcset=\"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/WotW.jpg 225w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/WotW-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 176px) 100vw, 176px\" \/><\/a>How about the mushy well and the ground?<\/em><\/p>\n<address style=\"text-align: right;\">Oh, I&#8217;ll leave that kind of stuff for you, jimmy &#8211; Now if you&#8217;ll excuse me &#8230;\u2248\u2248 Terrific!&nbsp;<\/address>\n<h6 id=\"watch-headline-title\"><strong>\u21d0&nbsp;&nbsp;&#8216;Women of the world&#8217;&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h6>\n<address><strong>Women of the world, take over<\/strong><\/address>\n<address><strong>Because if you don&#8217;t, the world will come to an end, <\/strong><\/address>\n<address><strong>and we haven&#8217;t got long &#8230;<\/strong><\/address>\n<address>Men have had their shot and look at where we&#8217;ve got<\/address>\n<h6 style=\"text-align: right;\"><span style=\"color: #993366;\">\u2297 &nbsp;<span style=\"color: #993366;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=y-k7G9qMdGg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Looking for Truth with a Pin<\/a>&nbsp;<\/span> &nbsp;\u21d3&nbsp; &nbsp;<\/span><\/h6>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymotion.com\/video\/x2v2dv9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-50562\" src=\"http:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Looking-for-Truth....jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"380\" height=\"380\" srcset=\"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Looking-for-Truth....jpg 380w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Looking-for-Truth...-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Looking-for-Truth...-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 380px) 100vw, 380px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u00a4 &nbsp;Liz Lochhead&nbsp;&nbsp;\u21d3 <\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u21d2Makar Liz Lochhead&nbsp;was born in 1947 in Motherwell, from where the family moved to the nearby village of Newarthill. It was a \u201cvery normal, very Scottish, very proddy, posh working-class \/ lower middle-class life\u201d. Everyone in family read a lot and used the public library as \u201cthere [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":20628,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[288],"tags":[175,233,268],"class_list":["post-2554","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-poem","tag-story","tag-bonnie","tag-writers","odd"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2554","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/28"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2554"}],"version-history":[{"count":162,"href":"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2554\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":54155,"href":"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2554\/revisions\/54155"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/20628"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2554"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2554"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2554"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}