Second Collection. The Lovely Maïd ov Elwell Meäd
A maïd wi’ many gifts o’ greäce, A maïd wi’ ever-smilèn feäce, A child o’ yours my chilhood’s pleäce, O leänèn lawns ov Allen; ’S a-walkèn where your stream do flow, A-blushèn where your flowers do blow, A-smilèn where your zun do glow, O leänèn lawns ov Allen. An’ good, however good’s a-waïgh’d, ’S the lovely maïd ov Elwell Meäd. An’ oh! if I could teäme an’ guide The winds above the e’th, an’ ride As light as shootèn stars do glide, O leänèn lawns ov Allen, To you I’d teäke my daily flight, Drough dark’nèn aïr in evenèn’s light, An’ bid her every night “Good night,” O leänèn lawns ov Allen. Vor good, however good’s a-waïgh’d, ’S the lovely maïd ov Elwell Meäd. An’ when your hedges’ slooes be blue, By blackberries o’ dark’nèn hue, An’ spiders’ webs behung wi’ dew, O leänèn lawns ov Allen, Avore the winter aïr’s a-chill’d, Avore your winter brook’s a-vill’d Avore your zummer flow’rs be kill’d, O leänèn lawns ov Allen; I there would meet, in white array’d, The lovely maïd ov Elwell Meäd. For when the zun, as birds do rise, Do cast their sheädes vrom autum’ skies, A-sparklèn in her dewy eyes, O leänèn lawns ov Allen; Then all your mossy paths below The trees, wi’ leaves a-vallèn slow, Like zinkèn fleäkes o’ yollow snow, O leänèn lawns ov Allen. Would be mwore teäkèn where they straÿ’d The lovely maïd ov Elwell Meäd.
William Barnes’s other poems:
