04/03/2021
Our last members meeting was March 2020, almost a year from today, at which Jan Powell did a brilliant rendition of her poem:
The Copper and the Cuppa
PC Brown was grumpy
He’d never solved a crime
On the beat for twenty years
Surely now must be his time?
The call came in this evening
He was primed and ready to go
Perhaps it was a grizzly murder?
There was only one way to know
He jumped on to his push bike
And set off like the clappers
His legs were peddling madly
To get there, was all that matters
He was determined this time to make an arrest
Of whoever it was, who was being a pest
He stormed into the clubhouse
The door banged loud and clear
“A crime has been committed!
Stand back! The Police are here!”
He surveyed the crowd before him,
Took in the scene of the crime
“What's happened here?” he shouted
“Speak up, don’t waste my time!”
From the back of the room
A hand was raised
“T'was I who made the call"
Thirty heads faced her,
There was silence in the hall.
“Maisie is the criminal,
It’s plain for all to see,
Her cake it came from Morrisons,
Not home-made, like this one from me!"
The throng as one it trembled,
Sharp breaths were taken in,
A cheat amongst their number
The W.I. had never felt so grim!
“I made that cake”, cried Maisie
‘It took me half a day”
‘Liar!” cried another
“I saw you buy it yesterday!”
PC Brown was turning blue,
How could they waste his time
This was supposed to be his hour
The night he solved a crime!
‘I've a good mind to arrest you all
And take you to the nick!
This kind of police provocation
It really makes me sick!”
The assembled crowd were silent
The Constable started to sob
Gladys went to into the kitchen
And put the kettle on the hob
“I know just what we need to do
To stop his mournful cry
We'll give him a lovely cuppa,
And a slice of “me" apple pie!"
By Jan Powell
Thank you Jan. Your poem puts into perspective what the WI is all about!
