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 […]
The Wind At The Door by William Barnes
As day did darken on the dewless grass, There, still, wi’ nwone a-come by me To stay a-while at hwome by me Within the house, all dumb by me, I zot me sad as the eventide did pass. An’ there a win’blast shook the rattlèn door, An’ seemed, as win’ did mwoan without, As if […]
The Widow’s House by William Barnes
I went hwome in the dead o’ the night, When the vields wer all empty o’ vo’k, An’ the tuns at their cool-winded height Wer all dark, an’ all cwold ‘ithout smoke; An’ the heads o’ the trees that I pass’d Wer a-swayèn wi’ low-ruslèn sound, An’ the doust wer a-whirl’d wi’ the blast, Aye, […]
The White Road Up Athirt The Hill by William Barnes
WHEN high hot zuns da strik right down, An’ burn our zweaty fiazen brown, An’ zunny hangens that be nigh Be back’d by hills so blue’s the sky; Then while the bells da sweetly cheem Upon the champen high-neck’d team How lively, wi’ a friend, da seem The white road up athirt the hill. The […]
The Wheel Routs by William Barnes
‘Tis true I brought noo fortune hwome Wi’ Jenny, vor her honey-moon, But still a goodish hansel come Behind her perty soon, Vor stick, an’ dish, an’ spoon, all vell To Jeäne, vrom Aunt o’ Camwy dell. Zoo all the lot o’ stuff a-tied Upon the plow, a tidy tod, On gravel-crunchèn wheels did ride, […]
The Welshnut Tree by William Barnes
When in the evenèn the zun’s a-zinkèn, A drowèn sheädes vrom the yollow west, An’ mother, weary, ‘s a-zot a thinkèn, Wi’ vwolded eärms by the vire at rest, Then we do zwarm, O, Wi’ such a charm, O, So vull o’ glee by the welshnut tree. A-leävèn father in-doors, a-leinèn’ In his girt chair […]
The Weepen Leady by William Barnes
When, leäte o’ nights, above the green By thik wold house, the moon do sheen, A leädy there, a-hangèn low Her head, ‘s a-walkèn to an’ fro In robes so white’s the driven snow, Wi’ woone eärm down, while woone do rest All lily-white athirt the breast O’ thik poor weepèn leädy. The whirlèn wind […]
The Weather-Beaten Tree by William Barnes
The woaken tree, a-beät at night By stormy winds wi’ all their spite, Mid toss his lim’s, an’ ply, an’ mwoan, Wi’ unknown struggles all alwone; An’ when the day do show his head, A-stripp’d by winds at last a-laid, How vew mid think that didden zee, How night-time had a-tried thik tree. An’ happy […]
The Water-Spring In The Leäne by William Barnes
Oh! aye! the spring ‘ithin the leäne, A-leäden down to Lyddan Brook; An’ still a-nesslèn in his nook, As weeks do pass, an’ moons do weäne. Nwone the drier, Nwone the higher, Nwone the nigher to the door Where we did live so long avore. An’ oh! what vo’k his mossy brim Ha’ gathered in […]
The Water Crowvoot by William Barnes
O’ small-feäc’d flow’r that now dost bloom To stud wi’ white the shallow Frome, An’ leäve the clote to spread his flow’r On darksome pools o’ stwoneless Stour, When sof’ly-rizèn aïrs do cool The water in the sheenèn pool, Thy beds o’ snow-white buds do gleam So feäir upon the sky-blue stream, As whitest clouds, […]
The Waggon A-Stooded by William Barnes
_Dree o’m a-ta’kèn o’t._ (1) Well, here we be, then, wi’ the vu’st poor lwoad O’ vuzz we brought, a-stoodèd in the road. (2) The road, George, no. There’s na’r a road. That’s wrong. If we’d a road, we mid ha’ got along. (1) Noo road! Ees ’tis, the road that we do goo. (2) […]
The Vrost by William Barnes
Come, run up hwome wi’ us to night, Athirt the vield a-vroze so white, Where vrosty sheädes do lie below The winter ricks a-tipp’d wi’ snow, An’ lively birds, wi’ waggèn taïls, Do hop upon the icy raïls, An’ rime do whiten all the tops O’ bush an’ tree in hedge an’ copse, In wind’s […]
The Vier-Zide by William Barnes
‘Tis zome vo’ks jaÿ to teäke the road, An’ goo abro’d, a-wand’rèn wide, Vrom shere to shere, vrom pleäce to pleäce, The swiftest peäce that vo’k can ride. But I’ve a jaÿ ‘ithin the door, Wi’ friends avore the vier-zide. An’ zoo, when winter skies do lour, An’ when the Stour’s a-rollèn wide, Drough bridge-voot […]
The Veairy Veet That I Do Meet by William Barnes
When dewy fall’s red leaves do vlee Along the grass below the tree, Or lie in yollow beds a-shook Upon the shallow-water’d brook, Or drove ‘ithin a sheädy nook; Then softly, in the evenèn, down The knap do steal along the groun’ The veäiry veet that I do meet Below the row o’ beech trees. […]
The Vaïces That Be Gone by William Barnes
When evenèn sheädes o’ trees do hide A body by the hedge’s zide, An’ twitt’rèn birds, wi’ plaÿsome flight, Do vlee to roost at comèn night, Then I do saunter out o’ zight In orcha’d, where the pleäce woonce rung Wi’ laughs a-laugh’d an’ zongs a-zung By vaïces that be gone. There’s still the tree […]
The Two Churches by William Barnes
A happy day, a happy year. A zummer Zunday, dazzlèn clear, I went athirt vrom Lea to Noke. To goo to church wi’ Fanny’s vo’k: The sky o’ blue did only show A cloud or two, so white as snow, An’ aïr did swaÿ, wi’ softest strokes, The eltrot roun’ the dark-bough’d woaks. O day […]