BALLAD OF ELEANOR RIGBY

Poet's Notes

(Show)

Become a Premium Member and post notes and photos about your poem like Suzette Richards.

The gravestone of Eleanor Rigby et al, in Woolton, a suburb of Liverpool, England.

Reposted to commemorate 10 October.

In my Ballad of Eleanor Rigby, written in Ballad Metre and intermittent rhyme, I used the local dialect (scouse)* of Liverpool, England, to elaborate upon the life and death of Eleanor Rigby. She was immortalised by The Beatles’ song, © Eleanor Rigby 1966, after John Lennon happened upon an inscription on a gravestone in Woolton. In their song, Eleanor Rigby is the epitome of all the lonely people.

*Liverpool sayings: Top 26 things only Scousers say - a guide to the Scouse dictionary - Liverpool Echo

Her Mam did for the rich Wool toffs, days chocka block with chores. Her fella was a plazzy gent— A few jars opened doors. A proper jarg johnny he used; he thought hi’self real cool. In the shade of the Whalley Abbey, the banks of Otterspool. She was sacked off by the Big House; for bloating like a toad. The sconner did like a runner; she was proper devoed. Eleanor Rigby was nineteen when the Great War broke out. She worked at t’ alehouse in The Lanes; crashed with this divvy lout. This RC priest offered her a job as the scullery maid. Her threads were mostly ant wacky; skint from the tuppence paid. He made her attend Sunday church and to learn the new hymn. She had managed to scrounge a pair of boss new trabs from him. The scran for tea was abar sound— she shared with a few birds. They rolled own ciggies from backy and shared one another’s thirds. The declaration of the war, surely did her head in. A baltic day in thirty-nine, at t’ ozzy, she didn’t win. At St Peter’s Church in Woolton, Eleanor was laid t’ rest; one of the many lonely people … A scouser—one o’ the best.

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Maria Williams

Date: 10/11/2024 3:08:00 AM

Oh! Oh! my comment on this disapeared Su, good thing I checked. Your delightful ballard/ditty piqued my curiosity on the dialect, so I took the liberty of looking at your bio to assess where it came from. i confess that I too had to google the words you use and they certainly complement your poem adding a different flavour to your poem. i absolutely love it. Thanks for commenting on my page. Hugs Maria

Suzette Richards
Date: 10/11/2024 3:16:00 AM

Thank you, Maria. It is high praise indeed coming from an accomplished songster as you :)

David Crandall

Date: 10/10/2024 8:09:00 PM

That was an enjoyable read, Suzette. I'm not familiar with the dialect and don't understand much of it, but it is colorful and sounds great.

Suzette Richards
Date: 10/10/2024 8:24:00 PM

Thank you, David. I must admit that it is a foreign language for me as well and I relied heavily on the dictionary that I shared in the notes. But like you say: It is the sounds of the words that appealed to me and not their actual meaning.