Third Collection. A Lot o’ Maïdens
“Come on. Be sprack, a-laggèn back.” “Oh! be there any cows to hook?” “Lauk she’s afraïd, a silly maïd,” Cows? No, the cows be down by brook. “O here then, oh! here is a lot.” “A lot o’ what? what is it? what?” “Why blackberries, as thick As ever they can stick.” “I’ve dewberries, oh! twice As good as they; so nice.” “Look here. Theäse boughs be all but blue Wi’ snags.” “Oh! gi’e me down a vew.” “Come here, oh! do but look.” “What’s that? what is it now?” “Why nuts a-slippèn shell.” “Hee ! hee ! pull down the bough.” “I wish I had a crook.” “There zome o’m be a-vell.” (One sings) “I wish I was on Bimport Hill I would zit down and cry my vill.” “Hee! hee! there’s Jenny zomewhere nigh, A-zingèn that she’d like to cry.” (Jenny sings) “I would zit down and cry my vill Until my tears would dreve a mill.” “Oh! here’s an ugly crawlèn thing, A sneäke.” “A slooworm; he wont sting.” “Hee! hee! how she did squal an’ hop, A-spinnèn roun’ so quick’s a top.” “Look here, oh! quick, be quick.” “What is it? what then? where?” “A rabbit.” “No, a heäre.” “Ooh! ooh! the thorns do prick,” “How he did scote along the ground As if he wer avore a hound.” “Now mind the thistles.” “Hee, hee, hee, Why they be knapweeds.” “No.” “They be.” “I’ve zome’hat in my shoe.” “Zit down, an’ sheäke it out.” “Oh! emmets, oh! ooh, ooh, A-crawlèn all about.” “What bird is that, O harken, hush. How sweetly he do zing.” “A nightingeäle.” “La! no, a drush.” “Oh! here’s a funny thing.” “Oh! how the bull do hook, An’ bleäre, an’ fling the dirt.” “Oh! wont he come athirt?” “No, he’s beyond the brook.” “O lauk! a hornet rose Up clwose avore my nose.” “Oh! what wer that so white Rush’d out o’ thik tree’s top?” “An owl.” “How I did hop, How I do sheäke wi’ fright.” “A musheroom.” “O lau! A twoadstool! Pwoison! Augh.” “What’s that, a mouse?” “O no, Teäke ceäre, why ’tis a shrow.” “Be sure dont let en come An’ run athirt your shoe He’ll meäke your voot so numb That you wont veel a tooe.” “Oh! what wer that so loud A-rumblèn?” “Why a clap O’ thunder. Here’s a cloud O’ raïn. I veel a drap.” “A thunderstorm. Do raïn. Run hwome wi’ might an’ main.” “Hee! hee! oh! there’s a drop A-trïckled down my back. Hee! hee!” “My head’s as wet’s a mop.” “Oh! thunder,” “there’s a crack. Oh! Oh!” “Oh! I’ve a-got the stitch, Oh!” “Oh! I’ve a-lost my shoe, Oh!” “There’s Fanny into ditch, Oh!” “I’m wet all drough an’ drough. Oh!”
William Barnes’s other poems:
