The Mead A-Mow’d by William Barnes
When sheädes do vall into ev’ry hollow, An’ reach vrom trees half athirt the groun’; An’ banks an’ walls be a-lookèn yollow, That be a-turn’d to the zun gwaïn down; Drough haÿ in cock, O, We all do vlock, O, Along our road vrom the meäd a-mow’d. An’ when the last swaÿèn lwoad’s a-started Up […]
The Meäd In June by William Barnes
Ah! how the looks o’ sky an’ ground Do change wi’ months a-stealèn round, When northern winds, by starry night, Do stop in ice the river’s flight; Or brooks in winter raïns do zwell, Lik’ rollèn seas athirt the dell; Or trickle thin in zummer-tide; Among the mossy stwones half dried; But still, below the […]
The May-Tree by William Barnes
I’ve a-come by the Maÿ-tree all times o’ the year, When leaves wer a-springèn, When vrost wer a-stingèn, When cool-winded mornèn did show the hills clear, When night wer bedimmèn the vields vur an’ near. When, in zummer, his head wer as white as a sheet, Wi’ white buds a-zwellèn, An’ blossom, sweet-smellèn, While leaves […]
The Maid Vor My Bride by William Barnes
Ah! don’t tell o’ maïdens! the woone vor my bride Is little lik’ too many maïdens bezide,– Not brantèn, nor spitevul, nor wild; she’ve a mind To think o’ what’s right, an’ a heart to be kind. She’s straïght an’ she’s slender, but not over tall, Wi’ lim’s that be lightsome, but not over small; […]
The Maid O’ Newton by William Barnes
In zummer, when the knaps wer bright In cool-aïr’d evenèn’s western light, An’ haÿ that had a-dried all day, Did now lie grey, to dewy night; I went, by happy chance, or doom, Vrom Broadwoak Hill, athirt to Coomb, An’ met a maïd in all her bloom: The feaïrest maïd o’ Newton. She bore a […]
The Lovely Maïd Ov Elwell Meäd by William Barnes
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 […]
The Love Child by William Barnes
Where the bridge out at Woodley did stride, Wi’ his wide arches’ cool sheäded bow, Up above the clear brook that did slide By the popples, befoam’d white as snow: As the gilcups did quiver among The white deäisies, a-spread in a sheet. There a quick-trippèn maïd come along,– Aye, a girl wi’ her light-steppèn […]
The Little Worold by William Barnes
My hwome wer on the timber’d ground O’ Duncombe, wi’ the hills a-bound: Where vew from other peärts did come, An’ vew did travel vur from hwome, An’ small the worold I did know; But then, what had it to bestow But Fanny Deäne so good an’ feäir? ‘Twer wide enough if she wer there. […]
The Linden On The Lawn by William Barnes
No! Jenny, there’s noo pleäce to charm My mind lik’ yours at Woakland farm, A-peärted vrom the busy town, By longsome miles ov aïry down, Where woonce the meshy wall did gird Your flow’ry geärden, an’ the bird Did zing in zummer wind that stirr’d The spreädèn linden on the lawn. An’ now ov all […]
The Lilac by William Barnes
Dear lilac-tree, a-spreadèn wide Thy purple blooth on ev’ry zide, As if the hollow sky did shed Its blue upon thy flow’ry head; Oh! whether I mid sheäre wi’ thee Thy open aïr, my bloomèn tree, Or zee thy blossoms vrom the gloom, ‘Ithin my zunless workèn-room, My heart do leäp, but leäp wi’ sighs, […]
The Lew O’ The Rick by William Barnes
At eventide the wind wer loud By trees an’ tuns above woone’s head, An’ all the sky wer woone dark cloud, Vor all it had noo raïn to shed; An’ as the darkness gather’d thick, I zot me down below a rick, Where straws upon the win’ did ride Wi’ giddy flights, along my zide, […]
The Leäne by William Barnes
They do zay that a travellèn chap Have a-put in the newspeäper now, That the bit o’ green ground on the knap Should be all a-took in vor the plough. He do fancy ’tis easy to show That we can be but stunpolls at best, Vor to leäve a green spot where a flower can […]
The Leädy’s Tower by William Barnes
An’ then we went along the gleädes O’ zunny turf, in quiv’rèn sheädes, A-windèn off, vrom hand to hand, Along a path o’ yollow zand, An’ clomb a stickle slope, an’ vound An open patch o’ lofty ground, Up where a steätely tow’r did spring, So high as highest larks do zing. “Oh! Meäster Collins,” […]
The Lark by William Barnes
As I, below the mornèn sky, Wer out a workèn in the lew O’ black-stemm’d thorns, a-springèn high, Avore the worold-boundèn blue, A-reäkèn, under woak tree boughs, The orts a-left behin’ by cows. Above the grey-grow’d thistle rings, An’ deäisy-buds, the lark, in flight, Did zing a-loft, wi’ flappèn wings, Tho’ mwore in heärèn than […]
The Ivy by William Barnes
Upon theäse knap I’d sooner be The ivy that do climb the tree, Than bloom the gaÿest rwose a-tied An’ trimm’d upon the house’s zide. The rwose mid be the maïdens’ pride, But still the ivy’s wild an’ free; An’ what is all that life can gi’e, ‘Ithout a free light heart, John? The creepèn […]
The Hwomestead A-Vell Into Hand by William Barnes
The house where I wer born an’ bred, Did own his woaken door, John, When vu’st he shelter’d father’s head, An’ gramfer’s long avore, John. An’ many a ramblèn happy chile, An’ chap so strong an’ bwold, An’ bloomèn maïd wi’ plaÿsome smile, Did call their hwome o’ wold Thik ruf so warm, A kept […]
The Humstrum by William Barnes
Why woonce, at Chris’mas-tide, avore The wold year wer a-reckon’d out, The humstrums here did come about, A-soundèn up at ev’ry door. But now a bow do never screäpe A humstrum, any where all round, An’ zome can’t tell a humstrum’s sheäpe, An’ never heärd his jinglèn sound. As _ing-an-ing_ did ring the string, As […]
The Homestead by William Barnes
If I had all the land my zight Can overlook vrom Chalwell hill, Vrom Sherborn left to Blanvord right, Why I could be but happy still. An’ I be happy wi’ my spot O’ freehold ground an’ mossy cot, An’ shoulden get a better lot […]
The Hollow Woak by William Barnes
The woaken tree, so hollow now, To souls ov other times wer sound, An’ reach’d on ev’ry zide a bough Above their heads, a-gather’d round, But zome light veet That here did meet In friendship sweet, vor rest or jaÿ, Shall be a-miss’d another Maÿ. My childern here, in plaÿvul pride Did zit ‘ithin his […]
The Hedger by William Barnes
Upon the hedge theäse bank did bear, Wi’ lwonesome thought untwold in words, I woonce did work, wi’ noo sound there But my own strokes, an’ chirpèn birds; As down the west the zun went wan, An’ days brought on our Zunday’s rest, When sounds o’ cheemèn bells did vill The aïr, an’ hook an’ […]
The Heäre by William Barnes
(_Dree o’m a-ta’kèn o’t._) (1) There be the greyhounds! lo’k! an’ there’s the heäre! (2) What houn’s, the squier’s, Thomas? where, then, where? (1) Why, out in Ash Hill, near the barn, behind Thik tree. (3) The pollard? (1) Pollard! no, b’ye blind? (2) There, I do zee em over-right thik cow. (3) The red […]
The Guide Post by William Barnes
Why thik wold post so long kept out, Upon the knap, his eärms astrout, A-zendèn on the weary veet By where the dree cross roads do meet; An’ I’ve a-come so much thik woy, Wi’ happy heart, a man or bwoy, That I’d a-meäde, at last, a’móst A friend o’ thik wold guidèn post. An’ […]
The Girt Wold House O’ Mossy Stwone by William Barnes
The girt wold house o’ mossy stwone, Up there upon the knap alwone, Had woonce a bleäzèn kitchèn-vier, That cook’d vor poor-vo’k an’ a squier. The very last ov all the reäce That liv’d the squier o’ the pleäce, Died off when father wer a-born, An’ now his kin be all vorlorn Vor ever,–vor he […]
The Giants In Treädes by William Barnes
GRAMFER’S FEÄBLE. (_How the steam engine come about._) _Vier, Aïr, E’th, Water_, wer a-meäde Good workers, each o’m in his treäde, An’ _Aïr_ an’ _Water_, wer a-match Vor woone another in a mill; The giant _Water_ at a hatch, An’ _Aïr_ on the windmill hill. Zoo then, when _Water_ had a-meäde Zome money, _Äir_ begrudg’d […]
The Flood In Spring by William Barnes
Last night below the elem in the lew Bright the sky did gleam On water blue, while aïr did softly blow On the flowèn stream, An’ there wer gil’cups’ buds untwold, An’ deäisies that begun to vwold Their low-stemm’d blossoms vrom my zight Ageän the night, an’ evenèn’s cwold. But, oh! so cwold below the […]
The Farmer’s Woldest D’ter by William Barnes
No, no! I ben’t a-runnèn down The pretty maïden’s o’ the town, Nor wishèn o’m noo harm; But she that I would marry vu’st, To sheäre my good luck or my crust, ‘S a-bred up at a farm. In town, a maïd do zee mwore life, An’ I don’t under-reäte her; But ten to woone […]
The Fancy Feäir At Maïden Newton by William Barnes
The Frome, wi’ ever-water’d brink, Do run where shelvèn hills do zink Wi’ housen all a-cluster’d roun’ The parish tow’rs below the down. An’ now, vor woonce, at leäst, ov all The pleäcen where the stream do vall, There’s woone that zome to-day mid vind, Wi’ things a-suited to their mind. An’ that’s out where […]
The Fall by William Barnes
The length o’ days ageän do shrink An’ flowers be thin in meäd, among The eegrass a-sheenèn bright, along Brook upon brook, an’ brink by brink. Noo starlèns do rise in vlock on wing- Noo goocoo in nest-green leaves do sound- Noo swallows be now a-wheelèn round- Dip after dip, an’ swing by swing. The […]
The Evenèn Star O’ Zummer by William Barnes
When vu’st along theäse road vrom mill, I zeed ye hwome all up the hill, The poplar tree, so straïght an’ tall, Did rustle by the watervall; An’ in the leäze the cows wer all A-lyèn down to teäke their rest An’ slowly zunk towárd the west The evenèn star o’ zummer. In parrock there […]
The Echo by William Barnes
About the tow’r an’ churchyard wall, Out nearly overright our door, A tongue ov wind did always call Whatever we did call avore. The vaïce did mock our neämes, our cheers, Our merry laughs, our hands’ loud claps, An’ mother’s call “Come, come, my dears” –_my dears_; Or “Do as I do bid, bad chaps” […]
The Dree Woaks by William Barnes
By the brow o’ thik hangèn I spent all my youth, In the house that did peep out between The dree woaks, that in winter avworded their lewth, An’ in zummer their sheäde to the green; An’ there, as in zummer we play’d at our geämes, We ach own’d a tree, Vor we wer but […]
The Drèven O’ The Common by William Barnes
In the common by our hwome There wer freely-open room, Vor our litty veet to roam By the vuzzen out in bloom. That wi’ prickles kept our lags Vrom the skylark’s nest ov aggs; While the peewit wheel’d around Wi’ his cry up over head, Or he sped, though a-limpèn, o’er the ground. There we […]
The Do’set Militia by William Barnes
Hurrah! my lads, vor Do’set men! A-muster’d here in red ageän; All welcome to your ranks, a-spread Up zide to zide, to stand, or wheel, An’ welcome to your files, to head The steady march wi’ tooe to heel; Welcome to marches slow or quick! Welcome to gath’rèns thin or thick; God speed the Colonel […]
The Common A-Took In by William Barnes
Oh! no, Poll, no! Since they’ve a-took The common in, our lew wold nook Don’t seem a-bit as used to look When we had runnèn room; Girt banks do shut up ev’ry drong, An’ stratch wi’ thorny backs along Where we did use to run among The vuzzen an’ the broom. Ees; while the ragged […]
The Clote (Water-Lily) by William Barnes
O zummer clote! when the brook’s a-glidèn So slow an’ smooth down his zedgy bed, Upon thy broad leaves so seäfe a-ridèn The water’s top wi’ thy yollow head, By alder sheädes, O, An’ bulrush beds, O, Thou then dost float, goolden zummer clote! The grey-bough’d withy’s a leänèn lowly Above the water thy leaves […]
The Church An’ Happy Zunday by William Barnes
Ah! ev’ry day mid bring a while O’ eäse vrom all woone’s ceäre an’ tweil, The welcome evenèn, when ’tis sweet Vor tired friends wi’ weary veet, But litsome hearts o’ love, to meet; An’ yet while weekly times do roll, The best vor body an’ vor soul ‘S the church an’ happy Zunday. Vor […]
The Child’s Greäve by William Barnes
Avore the time when zuns went down On zummer’s green a-turn’d to brown, When sheädes o’ swaÿèn wheat-eärs vell Upon the scarlet pimpernel; The while you still mid goo, an’ vind ‘Ithin the geärden’s mossy wall, Sweet blossoms, low or risèn tall, To meäke a tutty to your mind, In churchyard heav’d, wi’ grassy breast, […]
The Child an’ the Mowers by William Barnes
O AYE! they had woone child bezide, An’ a finer your eyes never met, Twer a dear little fellow that died In the summer that come wi’ such het; By the mowers, too thoughtless in fun, He wer then a-zent off vrom our eyes, Vrom the light ov the dew-dryen zun,- Aye! vrom days under […]
The Castle Ruins by William Barnes
A HAPPY day at Whitsuntide, As soon ‘s the zun begun to vall, We all stroll’d up the steep hill-zide To Meldon, gret an’ small; Out where the Castle wall stood high A-mwoldren to the zunny sky. An’ there wi’ Jenny took a stroll Her youngest sister, Poll, so gay, Bezide John Hind, ah! merry […]
The Carter by William Barnes
O, I be a carter, wi’ my whip A-smackèn loud, as by my zide, Up over hill, an’ down the dip, The heavy lwoad do slowly ride. An’ I do haul in all the crops, An’ I do bring in vuzz vrom down; An’ I do goo vor wood to copse, An’ car the corn […]