Shaftesbury Feäir by William Barnes
When hillborne Paladore did show So bright to me down miles below. As woonce the zun, a-rollèn west, Did brighten up his hill’s high breast. Wi’ walls a-lookèn dazzlèn white, Or yollow, on the grey-topp’d height Of Paladore, as peäle day wore Awaÿ so feäir. Oh! how I wish’d that I wer there. The pleäce […]
Ruth A-Ridèn by William Barnes
Ov all the roads that ever bridge Did bear athirt a river’s feäce, Or ho’ses up an’ down the ridge Did wear to doust at ev’ry peäce, I’ll teäke the Stalton leäne to tread, By banks wi’ primrwose-beds bespread, An’ steätely elems over head, Where Ruth do come a-ridèn. An’ I would rise when vields […]
Rivers Don’t Gi’e Out by William Barnes
The brook I left below the rank Ov alders that do sheäde his bank, A-runnèn down to dreve the mill Below the knap, ‘s a runnèn still; The creepèn days an’ weeks do vill Up years, an’ meäke wold things o’ new, An’ vok’ do come, an’ live, an’ goo, But rivers don’t gi’e out, […]
Riden Hwome At Night by William Barnes
Oh! no, I quite injaÿ’d the ride Behind wold Dobbin’s heavy heels, Wi’ Jeäne a-prattlèn at my zide, Above our peäir o’ spinnèn wheels, As grey-rin’d ashes’ swaÿèn tops Did creak in moonlight in the copse, Above the quiv’rèn grass, a-beät By wind a-blowèn drough the geät. If weary souls did want their sleep, They […]
Readen Ov A Head-Stwone by William Barnes
As I wer readèn ov a stwone In Grenley church-yard all alwone, A little maïd ran up, wi’ pride To zee me there, an’ push’d a-zide A bunch o’ bennets that did hide A verse her father, as she zaïd, Put up above her mother’s head, To tell how much he loved her: The verse […]
“The Girt Woak Tree That’s In the Dell” by William Barnes
The girt woak tree that’s in the dell! There’s noo tree I do love so well; Vor times an’ times when I wer young, I there’ve a-climbed, an’ there’ve a-zwung, An’ picked the eacorns green, a-shed In wrestlen storms vrom his broad head. An’ down below’s the cloty brook Where I did vish with line […]
Praise O’ Do’set by William Barnes
We Do’set, though we mid be hwomely, Be’nt asheäm’d to own our pleäce; An’ we’ve zome women not uncomely; Nor asheäm’d to show their feäce: We’ve a meäd or two wo’th mowèn, We’ve an ox or two we’th showèn, In the village, At the tillage, Come along an’ you shall vind That Do’set men don’t […]
Polly Be-en Upzides Wi’ Tom by William Barnes
Ah! yesterday, d’ye know, I voun’ Tom Dumpy’s cwoat an’ smock-frock, down Below the pollard out in groun’; An’ zoo I slyly stole An’ took the smock-frock up, an’ tack’d The sleeves an’ collar up, an’ pack’d Zome nice sharp stwones, all fresh a-crack’d ‘Ithin each pocket-hole. An’ in the evenèn, when he shut Off […]
Poll’s Jack-Daw by William Barnes
Ah! Jimmy vow’d he’d have the law Ov ouer cousin Poll’s Jack-daw, That had by day his withy jaïl A-hangèn up upon a naïl, Ageän the elem tree, avore The house, jist over-right the door, An’ twitted vo’k a-passèn by A-most so plaïn as you or I; Vor hardly any day did pass ‘Ithout Tom’s […]
A Pleäce In Zight by William Barnes
As I at work do look aroun’ Upon the groun’ I have in view, To yonder hills that still do rise Avore the skies, wi’ backs o’ blue; ‘Ithin the ridges that do vall An’ rise roun’ Blackmwore lik’ a wall, ‘Tis yonder knap do teäke my zight Vrom dawn till night, the mwost ov […]
Pentridge By The River by William Barnes
Pentridge!–oh! my heart’s a-zwellèn Vull o’ jaÿ wi’ vo’k a-tellèn Any news o’ thik wold pleäce, An’ the boughy hedges round it, An’ the river that do bound it Wi’ his dark but glis’nèn feäce. Vor there’s noo land, on either hand, To me lik’ Pentridge by the river. Be there any leaves to quiver […]
Out At Plough by William Barnes
Though cool avore the sheenèn sky Do vall the sheädes below the copse, The timber-trees, a-reachèn high, Ha’ zunsheen on their lofty tops, Where yonder land’s a-lyèn plow’d, An’ red, below the snow-white cloud, An’ vlocks o’ pitchèn rooks do vwold Their wings to walk upon the mwold. While floods be low, An’ buds do […]
Out A-Nuttèn by William Barnes
Last week, when we’d a haul’d the crops, We went a-nuttèn out in copse, Wi’ nuttèn-bags to bring hwome vull, An’ beaky nuttèn-crooks to pull The bushes down; an’ all o’s wore Wold clothes that wer in rags avore, An’ look’d, as we did skip an’ zing, Lik’ merry gipsies in a string, A-gwaïn a-nuttèn. […]
Our Father’s Works by William Barnes
Ah! I do think, as I do tread Theäse path, wi’ elems overhead, A-climèn slowly up vrom Bridge, By easy steps, to Broadwoak Ridge, That all theäse roads that we do bruise Wi’ hosses’ shoes, or heavy lwoads; An’ hedges’ bands, where trees in row Do rise an’ grow aroun’ the lands, Be works that […]
Our Be’thplace by William Barnes
How dear’s the door a latch do shut, An’ geärden that a hatch do shut, Where vu’st our bloomèn cheäks ha’ prest The pillor ov our childhood’s rest; Or where, wi’ little tooes, we wore The paths our fathers trod avore; Or clim’d the timber’s bark aloft, Below the zingèn lark aloft, The while we […]
Our Abode In Arby Wood by William Barnes
Though ice do hang upon the willows Out bezide the vrozen brook, An’ storms do roar above our pillows, Drough the night, ‘ithin our nook; Our evenèn he’th’s a-glowèn warm, Drough wringèn vrost, an’ roarèn storm, Though winds mid meäke the wold beams sheäke, In our abode in Arby Wood. An’ there, though we mid […]
Not Goo Hwome To-Night by William Barnes
No, no, why you’ve noo wife at hwome Abidèn up till you do come, Zoo leäve your hat upon the pin, Vor I’m your waïter. Here’s your inn, Wi’ chair to rest, an’ bed to roost; You have but little work to do This vrosty time at hwome in mill, Your vrozen wheel’s a-stannèn still, […]
Night A-Zetten In by William Barnes
When leäzers wi’ their laps o’ corn Noo longer be a-stoopèn, An’ in the stubble, all vorlorn, Noo poppies be a-droopèn; When theäse young harvest-moon do weäne, That now’ve his horns so thin, O, We’ll leäve off walkèn in the leäne, While night’s a zettèn in, O. When zummer doust is all a-laid Below our […]
Nanny’s New Abode by William Barnes
Now day by day, at lofty height, O zummer noons, the burnèn zun ‘Ve a-show’d avore our eastward zight, The sky-blue zide ov Hameldon, An’ shone ageän, on new-mow’d ground, Wi’ haÿ a-piled up grey in pook, An’ down on leäzes, bennet-brown’d, An’ wheat a-vell avore the hook; Till, under elems tall, The leaves do […]
Nanny’s Cow by William Barnes
Ov all the cows, among the rest Wer woone that Nanny lik’d the best; An’ after milkèn us’d to stan’ A-veedèn o’ her, vrom her han’, Wi’ grass or haÿ; an’ she know’d Ann, An’ in the evenèn she did come The vu’st, a-beätèn üp roun’ hwome Vor Ann to come an’ milk her. Her […]
Naighbour Pla Meätes by William Barnes
O jaÿ betide the dear wold mill, My naïghbour plaÿmeätes’ happy hwome, Wi’ rollèn wheel, an’ leäpèn foam, Below the overhangèn hill, Where, wide an’ slow, The stream did flow, An’ flags did grow, an’ lightly vlee Below the grey-leav’d withy tree, While clack, clack, clack, vrom hour to hour, Wi’ whirlèn stwone, an’ streamèn […]
My Love’s Guardian Angel by William Barnes
As in the cool-aïr’d road I come by, –in the night, Under the moon-clim’d height o’ the sky, –in the night, There by the lime’s broad lim’s as I staÿ’d, Dark in the moonlight, bough’s sheädows plaÿ’d Up on the window-glass that did keep Lew vrom the wind, my true love asleep, –in the night. […]
My Love Is Good by William Barnes
My love is good, my love is feäir, She’s comely to behold, O, In ev’rything that she do wear, Altho’ ’tis new or wold, O. My heart do leäp to see her walk, So straïght do step her veet, O, My tongue is dum’ to hear her talk, Her vaïce do sound so sweet, O. […]
Mornèn by William Barnes
When vu’st the breakèn day is red, An’ grass is dewy wet, An’ roun’ the blackberry’s a-spread The spider’s gliss’nèn net, Then I do dreve the cows across The brook that’s in a vog, While they do trot, an’ bleäre, an’ toss Their heads to hook the dog; Vor the cock do gi’e me warnèn, […]
Moonlight On The Door by William Barnes
A-swaÿèn slow, the poplar’s head, Above the slopèn thatch did ply, The while the midnight moon did shed His light below the spangled sky. An’ there the road did reach avore The hatch, all vootless down the hill; An’ hands, a-tired by day, wer still, Wi’ moonlight on the door. A-boomèn deep, did slowly sound […]
Me’th Below The Tree by William Barnes
O when theäse elems’ crooked boughs, A’most too thin to sheäde the cows, Did slowly swing above the grass As winds o’ Spring did softly pass, An’ zunlight show’d the shiftèn sheäde, While youthful me’th wi’ laughter loud, Did twist his lim’s among the crowd Down there below; up there above Wer bright-ey’d me’th below […]
Meary-Ann’s Child by William Barnes
Meary-Ann wer alwone wi’ her beäby in eärms, In her house wi’ the trees over head, Vor her husban’ wer out in the night an’ the storms, In his business a-tweilèn vor bread; An’ she, as the wind in the elems did roar, Did grievy vor Robert all night out o’ door. An’ her kinsvo’k […]
Meaken Up A Miff by William Barnes
Vorgi’e me, Jenny, do! an’ rise Thy hangèn head an’ teary eyes, An’ speak, vor I’ve a-took in lies, An’ I’ve a-done thee wrong; But I wer twold,–an’ thought ‘twer true,– That Sammy down at Coome an’ you Wer at the feäir, a-walkèn drough The pleäce the whole day long. An’ tender thoughts did melt […]
Meäry’s Smile by William Barnes
When mornèn winds, a-blowèn high, Do zweep the clouds vrom all the sky, An’ laurel-leaves do glitter bright, The while the newly broken light Do brighten up, avore our view, The vields wi’ green, an’ hills wi’ blue; What then can highten to my eyes The cheerful feäce ov e’th an’ skies, But Meäry’s smile, […]
Meäry Wedded by William Barnes
The zun can zink, the stars mid rise, An’ woods be green to sheenèn skies; The cock mid crow to mornèn light, An’ workvo’k zing to vallèn night; The birds mid whissle on the spraÿ, An’ childern leäp in merry plaÿ, But our’s is now a lifeless pleäce, Vor we’ve a-lost a smilèn feäce– Young […]
Martin’s Tide by William Barnes
Come, bring a log o’ cleft wood, Jack, An’ fling en on ageän the back, An’ zee the outside door is vast,– The win’ do blow a cwoldish blast. Come, so’s! come, pull your chairs in roun’ Avore the vire; an’ let’s zit down, An’ keep up Martin’s-tide, vor I Shall keep it up till […]
Married Peäir’s Love Walk by William Barnes
Come let’s goo down the grove to-night; The moon is up, ’tis all so light As day, an’ win’ do blow enough To sheäke the leaves, but tiddèn rough. Come, Esther, teäke, vor wold time’s seäke, Your hooded cloke, that’s on the pin, An’ wrap up warm, an’ teäke my eärm, You’ll vind it better […]
Looks A-Know’d Avore by William Barnes
While zome, a-gwaïn from pleäce to pleäce, Do daily meet wi’ zome new feäce, When my day’s work is at an end, Let me zit down at hwome, an’ spend A happy hour wi’ zome wold friend, An’ by my own vire-zide rejaïce In zome wold naïghbour’s welcome vaïce, An’ looks I know’d avore, John. […]
Linda Deäne by William Barnes
The bright-tunn’d house, a-risèn proud, Stood high avore a zummer cloud, An’ windy sheädes o’ tow’rs did vall Upon the many-window’d wall; An’ on the grassy terrace, bright Wi’ white-bloom’d zummer’s deaïsy beds, An’ snow-white lilies noddèn heads, Sweet Linda Deäne did walk in white; But ah! avore too high a door, Wer Linda Deäne […]
Light Or Sheäde by William Barnes
A Maÿtide’s evenèn wer a-dyèn, Under moonsheen, into night, Wi’ a streamèn wind a-sighèn By the thorns a-bloomèn white. Where in sheäde, a-zinkèn deeply, Wer a nook, all dark but lew, By a bank, arisèn steeply, Not to let the win’ come drough. Should my love goo out, a-showèn All her smiles, in open light; […]
Leaves A-Vallèn by William Barnes
There the ash-tree leaves do vall In the wind a-blowèn cwolder, An’ my childern, tall or small, Since last Fall be woone year wolder. Woone year wolder, woone year dearer, Till when they do leave my he’th, I shall be noo mwore a hearer O’ their vaïces or their me’th. There dead ash leaves be […]
Leady-Day, An’ Ridden House by William Barnes
Aye, back at Leädy-Day, you know, I come vrom Gullybrook to Stowe; At Leädy-Day I took my pack O’ rottletraps, an’ turn’d my back Upon the weather-beäten door, That had a-screen’d, so long avore, The mwost that theäse zide o’ the greäve, I’d live to have, or die to seäve! My childern, an’ my vier-pleäce, […]
Keepen Up O’ Chris’mas by William Barnes
An’ zoo you didden come athirt, To have zome fun last night: how wer’t? Vor we’d a-work’d wi’ all our might To scour the iron things up bright, An’ brush’d an’ scrubb’d the house all drough; An’ brought in vor a brand, a plock O’ wood so big’s an uppèn-stock, An’ hung a bough o’ […]
John Bloom In Lon’on by William Barnes
(_All true._) John Bloom he wer a jolly soul, A grinder o’ the best o’ meal, Bezide a river that did roll, Vrom week to week, to push his wheel. His flour wer all a-meäde o’ wheat; An’ fit for bread that vo’k mid eat; Vor he would starve avore he’d cheat. “‘Tis pure,” woone […]
John Bleäke At Hwome At Night by William Barnes
No: where the woak do overspread, The grass begloom’d below his head, An’ water, under bowèn zedge, A-springèn vrom the river’s edge, Do ripple, as the win’ do blow, An’ sparkle, as the sky do glow; An’ grey-leav’d withy-boughs do cool, Wi’ darksome sheädes, the clear-feäced pool, My chimny smoke, ‘ithin the lew O’ trees […]