The Gossipers Poem by Francis Duggan

In the Town of Castlesea
Lives Mrs Croke and Mrs Bee
On the sidewalk they meet each day
And gab an hour or two away.

Maybe you would like to know
How their conversation go
I will tell you in this rhyme
Of how they spend their talking time.

Outside the church each day they meet
To have their little tete a tete
And give each other the run down
Of the recent happenings in town.

A lady pushing a pram walk by
Says Mrs Bee oh me oh my
There she goes yet another
Of those snobbish single mothers.

She has some cheek to pass our way
And not even bid us good day
With her head tilted in the air
You'd swear she were a millionaire.

What right has she to show such weight
And she a burden on the State
It's no wonder the Government won't relax
On my poor husband's income tax.

Says Mrs Croke to Mrs Bee
What's come over Castlesea?
The proper living and God fearing
From Castlesea are disappearing.

I see that hussy Mrs Stave
And her husband Bill fresh in his grave
Strolling hand in hand last night
Through the park with young Jim White.

And she so happy and full of cheer
And her husband dead less than a year
It's the likes of that one bring ill fame
And give our town such a bad name.

How right you are says Mrs Bee
With what you said I must agree
You'd swear to look at that one's face
That she was filled with heaven's grace.

Did you hear about young Jimmy Dock?
He stole Mrs Gray's alarm clock
The crooked thieving little brat
Should be put into jail for that.

His type we can do without
There's far too many thieves about
I have warned my son Tim
To steer clear of the likes of him.

I must be going says Mrs Bee
My man will soon be home for tea
And Mrs Croke bid her good day
And homeward they each make their way.

Tomorrow once more they will meet
To have their daily tete a tete
And give each other the run down
Of the latest happenings in town