Was previously the mayor of Berwick on Tweed

Who thought his town had gone to seed

I disagreed with him as I considered Berwick to be a splendid place

His name was Price-Pettifer and he lived on the beach

Where he fished most days with his wife Til–Teeech

Their life was simple and very slow

As there was little to do and nowhere to go

We did not communicate often

But when our radio silence was broken

We talked for hours

About border issues and lowland flowers

Although critical of his home raised town

His tone was upbeat and never down

He missed the keen winds and the mysterious lights

Our coastal walks on slow dark nights

Trips to Ayr and trips to Dundee

And my little house not far from the sea  

 

 

 Authors Note

This poem was written by an E.M Gallagher and found in a cheap paperback in my hotel room in Berwick in February 2013

The author appears to local but quite why it was left randomly in the hotel room is open to question

I have checked to see if any of the previous mayors of the town were called Price-Pettifer and whether they had been or were resident in the Philippines

My enquiries have drawn a complete blank as this person has never held high office in the town

I have included this poem as a complete curiosity