Second Collection. Zun-zet
Where the western zun, unclouded, Up above the grey hill-tops, Did sheen drough ashes, lofty sh’ouded. On the turf bezide the copse, In zummer weather, We together, Sorrow-slightèn, work-vorgettèn. Gambol’d wi’ the zun a-zetten. There, by flow’ry bows o’ bramble, Under hedge, in ash-tree sheädes, The dun-heaïr’d ho’se did slowly ramble On the grasses’ dewy bleädes, Zet free o’ lwoads, An’ stwony rwoads, Vorgetvul o’ the lashes frettèn, Grazèn wi’ the zun a-zettèn. There wer rooks a-beätèn by us Drough the aïr, in a vlock, An’ there the lively blackbird, nigh us, On the meäple bough did rock, Wi’ ringèn droat, Where zunlight smote The yollow boughs o’ zunny hedges Over western hills’ blue edges. Waters, drough the meäds a-purlèn, Glissen’d in the evenèn’s light, An’ smoke, above the town a-curlèn, Melted slowly out o’ zight; An’ there, in glooms Ov unzunn’d rooms, To zome, wi’ idle sorrows frettèn, Zuns did set avore their zettèn. We were out in geämes and reäces, Loud a-laughèn, wild in me’th, Wi’ windblown heäir, an’ zunbrown’d feäces, Leäpen on the high-sky’d e’th, Avore the lights Wer tin’d o’ nights, An’ while the gossamer’s light nettèn Sparkled to the zun a-zettèn.
William Barnes’s other poems:
