Summer Stopping: A poem by Ellie-May Stevens
Ellie-May Stevens sent us in a poem about traditional Romany and Traveller stopping places. She said, "I was inspired by the recent new laws cracking down on unauthorised Traveller camps. This poem is partly written in English Romany, another part of Romany culture which is fast disappearing, but that can be changed."
Summer Stopping
Same van, same vardo
Home and home, each Midsummer
Every summer, every road
Same tan, same puv
Same parni edge
Same highways hedge
A gentle breeze, a warm breeze
Stirs the washing, stirs the memories
Hung by gentle hands, haunting gentle souls
Gentle folkie, gentle life
A hard and gentle life
A proud and gentle people
A radio plays, a juckel barks
Chavvis play, birds sing
Play all summers day, sing all summers night
Innocent play, melodious song
The play has ended
The song is silenced
Sutti under stars, guided by stars
Bright brilliant stars, match a fiery spirit
A clear night, a warm night
Dik akai, a camp fire
A warm welcome
Some rokker
But where are the old tans?
The old puv? The old parni side?
Long gone
Buried under brick and mortar
No van, no vardo
No gri, no puv
No stars, no home
No warm welcome
No place to stop
All photos Ⓒ courtesy of Ellie-May Stevens and her family 2021.