Adam: A Sacred Drama. Act 3. by William Cowper
SCENE I.– Adam and Eve. Oh, my beloved companion! Oh thou of my existence, The very heart and soul! Hast thou, with such excess of tender haste, With ceaseless pilgrimage, To find again thy Adam, Thus solitary wandered? Behold him! Speak! what are thy gentle orders? Why dost thou pause? what ask of God? what […]
Adam: A Sacred Drama. Act 2. by William Cowper
SCENE I. — CHORUS OF ANGELS Singing. Now let us garlands weave Of all the fairest flowers, Now at this early dawn, For new-made man, and his companion dear; Let all with festive joy, And with melodious song, Of the great Architect Applaud this noblest work, And speak the joyous sound, Man is the wonder […]
Adam: A Sacred Drama. Act 1. by William Cowper
CHORUS OF ANGELS, Singing the Glory of God. To Heaven’s bright lyre let Iris be the bow, Adapt the spheres for chords, for notes the stars; Let new-born gales discriminate the bars, Nor let old Time to measure times be slow. Hence to new Music of the eternal Lyre Add richer harmony and praise to […]
A Tale. June 1793 by William Cowper
In Scotland’s realm, where trees are few Nor even shrubs abound; But where, however bleak the view Some better things are found; For husband there and wife may boast Their union undefiled, And false ones are as rare almost As hedge-rows in the wild; In Scotland’s realm forlorn and bare The history chanced of late,– […]
A Tale, Founded On A Fact, Which Happened In January, 1779 by William Cowper
Where Humber pours his rich commercial stream, There dwelt a wretch, who breathed but to blaspheme. In subterraneous caves his life he led, Black as the mine, in which he wrought for bread. When on a day, emerging from the deep, A Sabbath-day, (such Sabbaths thousands keep!) The wages of his weekly toil he bore […]
A Song : The Sparkling Eye by William Cowper
The sparkling eye, the mantling cheek, The polished front, the snowy neck, How seldom we behold in one! Glossy locks, and brow serene, Venus’ smiles, Diana’s mien, All meet in you, and you alone. Beauty, like other powers, maintains Her empire, and by union reigns; Each single feature faintly warms: But where at once we […]
A Song : On The Green Margin by William Cowper
On the green margin of the brook, Despairing Phyllida reclined, Whilst every sigh, and every look, Declared the anguish of her mind. Am I less lovely then? (she cries, And in the waves her form surveyed); Oh yes, I see my languid eyes, My faded cheek, my colour fled: These eyes no more like lightning […]
A Riddle by William Cowper
I am just two and two, I am warm, I am cold, And the parent of numbers that cannot be told. I am lawful, unlawful — a duty, a fault, I am often sold dear, good for nothing when bought; An extraordinary boon, and a matter of course, And yielded with pleasure when taken by […]
A Poetical Epistle To Lady Austen by William Cowper
Dear Anna, — Between friend and friend, Prose answers every common end; Serves, in a plain and homely way, To express the occurrence of the day; Our health, the weather, and the news, What walks we take, what books we choose, And all the floating thoughts we find Upon the surface of the mind. But […]
A Manual, More Ancient Than The Art Of Printing, And Not To Be Found In Any Catalogue by William Cowper
There is a book, which we may call (Its excellence is such) Alone a library, though small; The ladies thumb it much. Words none, things numerous it contains: And thing with words compared, Who needs be told, that has his brains, Which merits most regard? Ofttimes its leaves of scarlet hue A golden edging boast; […]
A Figurative Description Of The Procedure Of Divine Love by William Cowper
‘Twas my purpose, on a day, To embark, and sail away. As I climbed the vessel’s side, Love was sporting in the tide; “Come,” he said, “ascend-make haste, Launch into the boundless waste.” Many mariners were there, Having each his separate care; They that rowed us held their eyes Fixed upon the starry skies; Others […]
A Fable by William Cowper
A raven, while with glossy breast Her new-laid eggs she fondly press’d, And, on her wicker-work high mounted, Her chickens prematurely counted (A fault philosophers might blame, If quite exempted from the same), Enjoy’d at ease the genial day; ‘Twas April, as the bumpkins say, The legislature call’d it May. But suddenly a wind, as […]
A Comparison by William Cowper
The lapse of time and rivers is the same, Both speed their journey with a restless stream; The silent pace, with which they steal away, No wealth can bribe, no prayers persuade to stay; Alike irrevocable both when past, And a wide ocean swallows both at last. Though each resemble each in every part, A […]
A Comparison. Addressed To A Young Lady by William Cowper
Sweet stream that winds through yonder glade, Apt emblem of a virtuous maid Silent and chaste she steals along, Far from the world’s gay busy throng: With gentle yet prevailing force, Intent upon her destined course; Graceful and useful all she does, Blessing and blest where’er she goes; Pure-bosom’d as that watery glass, And Heaven […]
A Child Of God Longing To See Him Beloved by William Cowper
There’s not an echo round me, But I am glad should learn, How pure a fire has found me, The love with which I burn. For none attends with pleasure To what I would reveal; They slight me out of measure, And laugh at all I feel. The rocks receive less proudly The story of […]
Zunsheen In The Winter by William Barnes
The winter clouds, that long did hide The zun, be all a-blown azide, An’ in the light, noo longer dim, Do sheen the ivy that do clim’ The tower’s zide an’ elem’s stim; An’ holmen bushes, in between The leafless thorns, be bright an’ green To zunsheen o’ the winter. The trees, that yesterday did […]
Zummer Thoughts In Winter Time by William Barnes
Well, aye, last evenèn, as I shook My locks ov haÿ by Leecombe brook. The yollow zun did weakly glance Upon the winter meäd askance, A-castèn out my narrow sheäde Athirt the brook, an’ on the meäd. The while ageän my lwonesome ears Did russle weatherbeäten spears, Below the withy’s leafless head That overhung the […]
Zummer Evenèn Dance by William Barnes
Come out to the parrock, come out to the tree, The maïdens an’ chaps be a-waïtèn vor thee; There’s Jim wi’ his fiddle to plaÿ us some reels, Come out along wi’ us, an’ fling up thy heels. Come, all the long grass is a-mow’d an’ a-carr’d, An’ the turf is so smooth as a […]
A Zong by William Barnes
O Jenny, don’t sobby! vor I shall be true; Noo might under heaven shall peärt me vrom you. My heart will be cwold, Jenny, when I do slight The zwell o’ thy bosom, thy eyes’ sparklèn light. My kinsvo’k would faïn zee me teäke vor my meäte A maïd that ha’ wealth, but a maïd […]
Zitten Out The Wold Year by William Barnes
Why, raïn or sheen, or blow or snow, I zaid, if I could stand so’s, I’d come, vor all a friend or foe, To sheäke ye by the hand, so’s; An’ spend, wi’ kinsvo’k near an’ dear, A happy evenèn, woonce a year, A-zot wi’ me’th Avore the he’th To zee the new year in, […]
Zellen Woone’s Honey To Buy Zome’hat Sweet by William Barnes
Why, his heart’s lik’ a popple, so hard as a stwone, Vor ’tis money, an’ money’s his ho, An’ to handle an’ reckon it up vor his own, Is the best o’ the jaÿs he do know. Why, vor money he’d gi’e up his lags an’ be leäme, Or would peärt wi’ his zight an’ […]
Woodcom’ Feast by William Barnes
Come, Fanny, come! put on thy white, ‘Tis Woodcom’ feäst, good now! to-night. Come! think noo mwore, you silly maïd, O’ chickèn drown’d, or ducks a-straÿ’d; Nor mwope to vind thy new frock’s taïl A-tore by hitchèn in a naïl; Nor grieve an’ hang thy head azide, A-thinkèn o’ thy lam’ that died. The flag’s […]
Wold Friends A-Met by William Barnes
Aye, vull my heart’s blood now do roll, An’ gaÿ do rise my happy soul, An’ well they mid, vor here our veet Avore woone vier ageän do meet; Vor you’ve avoun’ my feäce, to greet Wi’ welcome words my startlèn ear. An’ who be you, but John o’ Weer, An’ I, but William Wellburn. […]
A Wold Friend by William Barnes
Oh! when the friends we us’d to know, ‘V a-been a-lost vor years; an’ when Zome happy day do come, to show Their feäzen to our eyes ageän, Do meäke us look behind, John, Do bring wold times to mind, John, Do meäke hearts veel, if they be steel, All warm, an’ soft, an’ kind, […]
A Witch by William Barnes
There’s thik wold hag, Moll Brown, look zee, jus’ past! I wish the ugly sly wold witch Would tumble over into ditch; I woulden pull her out not very vast. No, no. I don’t think she’s a bit belied, No, she’s a witch, aye, Molly’s evil-eyed. Vor I do know o’ many a-withrèn blight A-cast […]
Whitsuntide An’ Club Walken by William Barnes
Ees, last Whit-Monday, I an’ Meäry Got up betimes to mind the deäiry; An’ gi’ed the milkèn païls a scrub, An’ dress’d, an’ went to zee the club. Vor up at public-house, by ten O’clock the pleäce wer vull o’ men, A-dress’d to goo to church, an’ dine, An’ walk about the pleäce in line. […]
Vo’k A-Comèn Into Church by William Barnes
The church do zeem a touchèn zight, When vo’k, a-comèn in at door, Do softly tread the long-aïl’d vloor Below the pillar’d arches’ height, Wi’ bells a-pealèn, Vo’k a-kneelèn, Hearts a-healèn, wi’ the love An’ peäce a-zent em vrom above. An’ there, wi’ mild an’ thoughtvul feäce, Wi’ downcast eyes, an’ vaïces dum’, The wold […]
Vellen O’ The Tree by William Barnes
Aye, the girt elem tree out in little hwome groun’ Wer a-stannèn this mornèn, an’ now’s a-cut down. Aye, the girt elem tree, so big roun’ an’ so high, Where the mowers did goo to their drink, an’ did lie In the sheäde ov his head, when the zun at his heighth Had a-drove em […]
Uncle An’ Aunt by William Barnes
How happy uncle us’d to be O’ zummer time, when aunt an’ he O’ Zunday evenèns, eärm in eärm, Did walk about their tiny farm, While birds did zing an’ gnats did zwarm, Drough grass a’most above their knees, An’ roun’ by hedges an’ by trees Wi’ leafy boughs a-swaÿèn. His hat wer broad, his […]
Treat Well Your Wife by William Barnes
No, no, good Meäster Collins cried, Why you’ve a good wife at your zide; Zoo do believe the heart is true That gi’ed up all bezide vor you, An’ still beheäve as you begun To seek the love that you’ve a-won When woonce in dewy June, In hours o’ hope soft eyes did flash, Each […]
To Me by William Barnes
At night, as drough the meäd I took my waÿ, In aïr a-sweeten’d by the new-meäde haÿ, A stream a-vallèn down a rock did sound, Though out o’ zight wer foam an’ stwone to me. Behind the knap, above the gloomy copse, The wind did russle in the trees’ high tops, Though evenèn darkness, an’ […]
The Zilver-Weed by William Barnes
The zilver-weed upon the green, Out where my sons an’ daughters play’d, Had never time to bloom between The litty steps o’ bwoy an’ maïd. But rwose-trees down along the wall, That then wer all the maïden’s ceäre, An’ all a-trimm’d an’ traïn’d, did bear Their bloomèn buds vrom Spring to Fall. But now the […]
The Woodlands by William Barnes
O spread ageän your leaves an’ flow’rs, Lwonesome woodlands! zunny woodlands! Here underneath the dewy show’rs O’ warm-aïr’d spring-time, zunny woodlands! As when, in drong or open ground, Wi’ happy bwoyish heart I vound The twitt’rèn birds a-buildèn round Your high-bough’d hedges, zunny woodlands. You gie’d me life, you gie’d me jaÿ, Lwonesome woodlands! zunny […]
The Wold Wall by William Barnes
Here, Jeäne, we vu’st did meet below The leafy boughs, a-swingèn slow, Avore the zun, wi’ evenèn glow, Above our road, a-beamèn red; The grass in zwath wer in the meäds, The water gleam’d among the reeds In aïr a-steälèn roun’ the hall, Where ivy clung upon the wall. Ah! well-a-day! O wall adieu! The […]
The Wold Waggon by William Barnes
The girt wold waggon uncle had, When I wer up a hardish lad, Did stand, a-screen’d vrom het an’ wet, In zummer at the barken geäte, Below the elems’ spreädèn boughs, A-rubb’d by all the pigs an’ cows. An’ I’ve a-clom his head an’ zides, A-riggèn up or jumpèn down A-plaÿèn, or in happy rides […]
The Wold Vo’k Dead by William Barnes
My days, wi’ wold vo’k all but gone, An’ childern now a-comèn on, Do bring me still my mother’s smiles In light that now do show my chile’s; An’ I’ve a-sheär’d the wold vo’ks’ me’th, Avore the burnèn Chris’mas he’th, At friendly bwoards, where feäce by feäce, Did, year by year, gi’e up its pleäce, […]
The Woddy Hollow by William Barnes
If mem’ry, when our hope’s a-gone, Could bring us dreams to cheat us on, Ov happiness our hearts voun’ true In years we come too quickly drough; What days should come to me, but you, That burn’d my youthvul cheäks wi’ zuns O’ zummer, in my plaÿsome runs About the woody hollow. When evenèn’s risèn […]
The Winter’s Willow by William Barnes
There Liddy zot bezide her cow, Upon her lowly seat, O; A hood did overhang her brow, Her païl wer at her veet, O; An’ she wer kind, an’ she wer feäir, An’ she wer young, an’ free o’ ceäre; Vew winters had a-blow’d her heäir, Bezide the Winter’s Willow. She idden woone a-rear’d in […]
The Window Freäm’d Wi’ Stwone by William Barnes
When Pentridge House wer still the nest O’ souls that now ha’ better rest, Avore the viër burnt to ground His beams an’ walls, that then wer sound, ‘Ithin a naïl-bestudded door, An’ passage wi’ a stwonèn vloor, There spread the hall, where zun-light shone In drough a window freäm’d wi’ stwone. A clavy-beam o’ […]
The Wind In Woone’s Feäce by William Barnes
There lovely Jenny past, While the blast did blow On over Ashknowle Hill To the mill below; A-blinkèn quick, wi’ lashes long, Above her cheäks o’ red, Ageän the wind, a-beätèn strong, Upon her droopèn head. Oh! let dry win’ blow bleäk, On her cheäk so heäle, But let noo raïn-shot chill Meäke her ill […]