Jeane’s Wedden Day In Mornen by William Barnes
At last Jeäne come down stairs, a-drest Wi’ weddèn knots upon her breast, A-blushèn, while a tear did lie Upon her burnèn cheäk half dry; An’ then her Robert, drawèn nigh Wi’ tothers, took her han’ wi’ pride, To meäke her at the church his bride, Her weddèn day in mornèn. Wi’ litty voot an’ […]
In The Stilness O’ The Night by William Barnes
Ov all the housen o’ the pleäce, There’s woone where I do like to call By day or night the best ov all, To zee my Fanny’s smilèn feäce; An’ there the steätely trees do grow, A-rockèn as the win’ do blow, While she do sweetly sleep below, In the stillness o’ the night. An’ […]
I’m Out O’ Door by William Barnes
I’m out, when, in the Winter’s blast, The zun, a-runnèn lowly round, Do mark the sheädes the hedge do cast At noon, in hoarvrost, on the ground, I’m out when snow’s a-lyèn white In keen-aïr’d vields that I do pass, An’ moonbeams, vrom above, do smite On ice an’ sleeper’s window-glass. I’m out o’ door, […]
Hope In Spring by William Barnes
In happy times a while agoo, My lively hope, that’s now a-gone Did stir my heart the whole year drough, But mwost when green-bough’d spring come on; When I did rove, wi’ litty veet, Drough deäisy-beds so white’s a sheet, But still avore I us’d to meet The blushèn cheäks that bloom’d vor me! An’ […]
Hope A-Left Behind by William Barnes
Don’t try to win a maïden’s heart, To leäve her in her love,–’tis wrong: ‘Tis bitter to her soul to peärt Wi’ woone that is her sweetheart long. A maïd’s vu’st love is always strong; An’ if do faïl, she’ll linger on, Wi’ all her best o’ pleasure gone, An’ hope a-left behind her. Thy […]
Heedless O’ My Love by William Barnes
Oh! I vu’st know’d o’ my true love, As the bright moon up above, Though her brightness wer my pleasure, She wer heedless o’ my love. Tho’ ‘twer all gaÿ to my eyes, Where her feäir feäce did arise, She noo mwore thought upon my thoughts, Than the high moon in the skies. Oh! I […]
Haven Woones Fortune A-Twold by William Barnes
In leäne the gipsies, as we went A-milkèn, had a-pitch’d their tent, Between the gravel-pit an’ clump O’ trees, upon the little hump: An’ while upon the grassy groun’ Their smokèn vire did crack an’ bleäze, Their shaggy-cwoated hoss did greäze Among the bushes vurder down. An’ zoo, when we brought back our païls, The […]
The Happy Days When I Wer Young by William Barnes
In happy days when I wer young, An’ had noo ho, an’ laugh’d an’ zung, The maïd wer merry by her cow, An’ men wer merry wi’ the plough; But never talk’d, at hwome or out O’ doors, o’ what’s a-talk’d about By many now,–that to despise The laws o’ God an’ man is wise. […]
Hallowed Pleäces by William Barnes
At Woodcombe farm, wi’ ground an’ tree Hallow’d by times o’ youthvul glee, At Chris’mas time I spent a night Wi’ feäces dearest to my zight; An’ took my wife to tread, woonce mwore, Her maïden hwome’s vorseäken vloor, An’ under stars that slowly wheel’d Aloft, above the keen-aïr’d vield, While night bedimm’d the rus’lèn […]
Gwain To Feäir by William Barnes
To morrow stir so brisk’s you can, An’ get your work up under han’; Vor I an’ Jim, an’ Poll’s young man, Shall goo to feäir; an’ zoo, If you wull let us gi’e ye a eärm Along the road, or in the zwarm O’ vo’k, we’ll keep ye out o’ harm, An’ gi’e ye […]
Gwaïn To Brookwell by William Barnes
At Easter, though the wind wer high, We vound we had a zunny sky, An’ zoo wold Dobbin had to trudge His dousty road by knap an’ brudge, An’ jog, wi’ hangèn vetterlocks A-sheäkèn roun’ his heavy hocks, An’ us, a lwoad not much too small, A-ridèn out to Brookwell Hall; An’ there in doust […]
Gwaïn Down The Steps Vor Water by William Barnes
While zuns do roll vrom east to west To bring us work, or leäve us rest, There down below the steep hill-zide, Drough time an’ tide, the spring do flow; An’ mothers there, vor years a-gone, Lik’ daughters now a-comèn on, To bloom when they be weak an’ wan, Went down the steps vor water. […]
Guy Faux’s Night by William Barnes
Guy Faux’s night, dost know, we chaps, A-putten on our woldest traps, Went up the highest o’ the knaps, An’ meäde up such a vier! An’ thou an’ Tom wer all we miss’d, Vor if a sarpent had a-hiss’d Among the rest in thy sprack vist, Our fun ‘d a-been the higher. We chaps at […]
Grief An’ Gladness by William Barnes
“Can all be still, when win’s do blow? Look down the grove an’ zee The boughs a-swingèn on the tree, An’ beäten weäves below. Zee how the tweilèn vo’k do bend Upon their windward track, Wi’ ev’ry string, an’ garment’s end, A-flutt’rèn at their back.” I cried, wi’ sorrow sore a-tried, An’ hung, wi’ Jenny […]
Grammer’s Shoes by William Barnes
I do seem to zee Grammer as she did use Vor to show us, at Chris’mas, her weddèn shoes, An’ her flat spreadèn bonnet so big an’ roun’ As a girt pewter dish a-turn’d upside down; When we all did draw near In a cluster to hear O’ the merry wold soul how she did […]
Grammer A-Crippled by William Barnes
“The zunny copse ha’ birds to zing, The leäze ha’ cows to low, The elem trees ha’ rooks on wing, The meäds a brook to flow, But I can walk noo mwore, to pass The drashel out abrode, To wear a path in theäse year’s grass Or tread the wheelworn road,” Cried Grammer, “then adieu, […]
Good Meäster Collins by William Barnes
Aye, Meäster Collins wer a-blest Wi’ greäce, an’ now’s a-gone to rest; An’ though his heart did beät so meek ‘S a little child’s, when he did speak, The godly wisdom ov his tongue Wer dew o’ greäce to wold an’ young. ‘Twer woonce, upon a zummer’s tide, I zot at Brookwell by his zide, […]
Gammony Gaÿ by William Barnes
Oh! thik Gammony Gaÿ is so droll, That if he’s at hwome by the he’th, Or wi’ vo’k out o’ door, he’s the soul O’ the meetèn vor antics an’ me’th; He do cast off the thoughts ov ill luck As the water’s a-shot vrom a duck; He do zing where his naïghbours would cry […]
A Father Out, An’ Mother Hwome by William Barnes
The snow-white clouds did float on high In shoals avore the sheenèn sky, An’ runnèn weäves in pon’ did cheäse Each other on the water’s feäce, As hufflèn win’ did blow between The new-leav’d boughs o’ sheenèn green. An’ there, the while I walked along The path, drough leäze, above the drong, A little maïd, […]
Farmer’s Son by William Barnes
Ov all the chaps a-burnt so brown By zunny hills an’ hollors, Ov all the whindlèn chaps in town Wi’ backs so weak as rollers, There’s narn that’s half so light o’ heart, (I’ll bet, if thou’t zay “done,” min,) An’ narn that’s half so strong an’ smart, ‘S a merry farmer’s son, min. He’ll […]
Fanny’s Be’th-Day by William Barnes
How merry, wi’ the cider cup, We kept poor Fanny’s be’th-day up! An’ how our busy tongues did run An’ hands did wag, a-meäkèn fun! What plaÿsome anticks zome ‘s done! An’ how, a-reelèn roun’ an’ roun’, We beät the merry tuèn down, While music wer a-soundèn! The maïdens’ eyes o’ black an’ blue Did […]
False Friends-Like by William Barnes
When I wer still a bwoy, an’ mother’s pride, A bigger bwoy spoke up to me so kind-like, “If you do like, I’ll treat ye wi’ a ride In theäse wheel-barrow here.” Zoo I wer blind-like To what he had a-workèn in his mind-like, An’ mounted vor a passenger inside; An’ comèn to a puddle, […]
Evenèn Twilight by William Barnes
Ah! they vew zummers brought us round The happiest days that we’ve a-vound, When in the orcha’d, that did stratch To westward out avore the patch Ov high-bough’d wood, an’ shelve to catch The western zun-light, we did meet Wi’ merry tongues an’ skippèn veet At evenèn in the twilight. The evenèn aïr did fan, […]
Evenèn Light by William Barnes
The while I took my bit o’ rest, Below my house’s eastern sheäde, The things that stood in vield an’ gleäde Wer bright in zunsheen vrom the west. There bright wer east-ward mound an’ wall, An’ bright wer trees, arisèn tall, An’ bright did break ‘ithin the brook, Down rocks, the watervall. There deep ‘ithin […]
Evenén in the Village by William Barnes
Now the light o’ the west is a-turn’d to gloom, An’ the men be at hwome vrom ground; An’ the bells be a-zendén all down the Coombe From tower, their mwoansome sound. An’ the wind is still, An’ the house-dogs do bark, An’ the rooks be a-vled to the elems high an’ dark, An’ the […]
Evenèn, An’ Maidens Out At Door by William Barnes
Now the sheädes o’ the elems do stratch mwore an’ mwore, Vrom the low-zinkèn zun in the west o’ the sky; An’ the maïdens do stand out in clusters avore The doors, vor to chatty an’ zee vo’k goo by. An’ their cwombs be a-zet in their bunches o’ heäir, An’ their currels do hang […]
Eclogue:–Two Farms In Woone by William Barnes
_Robert an’ Thomas._ ROBERT. You’ll lose your meäster soon, then, I do vind; He’s gwaïn to leäve his farm, as I do larn, At Miëlmas; an’ I be zorry vor’n. What, is he then a little bit behind? THOMAS. O no! at Miëlmas his time is up, An’ thik there sly wold fellow, Farmer Tup, […]
Eclogue:–The Veäiries by William Barnes
_Simon an’ Samel._ SIMON. There’s what the vo’k do call a veäiry ring Out there, lo’k zee. Why, ’tis an oddish thing. SAMEL. Ah! zoo do seem. I wunder how do come! What is it that do meäke it, I do wonder? SIMON. Be hang’d if I can tell, I’m sure! But zome Do zay […]
Eclogue:–The Times by William Barnes
_John an’ Tom._ JOHN. Well, Tom, how be’st? Zoo thou’st a-got thy neäme Among the leaguers, then, as I’ve a heärd. TOM. Aye, John, I have, John; an’ I ben’t afeärd To own it. Why, who woulden do the seäme? We shant goo on lik’ this long, I can tell ye. Bread is so high […]
Eclogue:–The ‘Lotments by William Barnes
_John and Richard._ JOHN. Zoo you be in your groun’ then, I do zee, A-workèn and a-zingèn lik’ a bee. How do it answer? what d’ye think about it? D’ye think ’tis better wi’ it than without it? A-recknèn rent, an’ time, an’ zeed to stock it, D’ye think that you be any thing in […]
Eclogue:–The Common A-Took In by William Barnes
_Thomas an’ John._ THOMAS. Good morn t’ye, John. How b’ye? how b’ye? Zoo you be gwaïn to market, I do zee. Why, you be quite a-lwoaded wi’ your geese. JOHN. Ees, Thomas, ees. Why, I’m a-gettèn rid ov ev’ry goose An’ goslèn I’ve a-got: an’ what is woose, I fear that I must zell my […]
Eclogue:–The Best Man In The Vield by William Barnes
_Sam and Bob._ SAM. That’s slowish work, Bob. What’st a-been about? Thy pookèn don’t goo on not over sprack. Why I’ve a-pook’d my weäle, lo’k zee, clear out, An’ here I be ageän a-turnèn back. BOB. I’ll work wi’ thee then, Sammy, any day, At any work dost like to teäke me at, Vor any […]
Eclogue:–Racketèn Joe by William Barnes
_Racketèn Joe; his Sister; his Cousin Fanny; and the Dog._ RACKETÈN JOE. Heigh! heigh! here. Who’s about? HIS SISTER. Oh! lauk! Here’s Joe, a rantèn lout, A-meäkèn his wild randy-rout. RACKETÈN JOE. Heigh! Fanny! How d’ye do? (_slaps her._) FANNY. Oh! fie; why all the woo’se vor you A-slappèn o’ me, black an’ blue, My […]
Eclogue:–John, Jealous At Shroton Feäir by William Barnes
_Jeäne; her Brother; John, her Sweetheart; and Racketèn Joe_ JEÄNE. I’m thankvul I be out o’ that Thick crowd, an’ not asquot quite flat. That ever we should plunge in where the vo’k do drunge So tight’s the cheese-wring on the veät! I’ve sca’ce a thing a-left in pleäce. ‘Tis all a-tore vrom pin an’ […]
Eclogue:–John An’ Thomas by William Barnes
THOMAS. How b’ye, then, John, to-night; an’ how Be times a-waggèn on w’ ye now? I can’t help slackenèn my peäce When I do come along your pleäce, To zee what crops your bit o’ groun’ Do bear ye all the zummer roun’. ‘Tis true you don’t get fruit nor blooth, ‘Ithin the glassèn houses’ […]
Eclogue:–Come And Zee Us In The Zummer by William Barnes
_John; William; William’s Bwoy; and William’s Maïd at Feäir._ JOHN. Zoo here be your childern, a-sheärèn Your feäir-day, an’ each wi’ a feäirèn. WILLIAM. Aye, well, there’s noo peace ‘ithout comèn To stannèn an’ show, in the zummer. JOHN. An’ how is your Jeäne? still as merry As ever, wi’ cheäks lik’ a cherry? WILLIAM. […]
Eclogue:–A Ghost by William Barnes
_Jem an’ Dick._ JEM. This is a darkish evenèn; b’ye a-feärd O’ zights? Theäse leäne’s a-haunted, I’ve a heärd. DICK. No, I be’nt much a-feär’d. If vo’k don’t strive To over-reach me while they be alive, I don’t much think the dead wull ha’ the will To come back here to do me any ill. […]
Eclogue:–A Bit O’ Sly Coorten by William Barnes
_John and Fanny._ JOHN. Now, Fanny, ’tis too bad, you teazèn maïd! How leäte you be a’ come! Where have ye staÿ’d? How long you have a-meäde me waït about! I thought you werden gwaïn to come ageän: I had a mind to goo back hwome ageän. This idden when you promis’d to come out. […]
Early Risèn by William Barnes
The aïr to gi’e your cheäks a hue O’ rwosy red, so feaïr to view, Is what do sheäke the grass-bleädes gray At breäk o’ day, in mornèn dew; Vor vo’k that will be rathe abrode, Will meet wi’ health upon their road. But bidèn up till dead o’ night, When han’s o’ clocks do […]
Early Pla Meäte by William Barnes
After many long years had a-run, The while I wer a-gone vrom the pleäce, I come back to the vields, where the zun Ov her childhood did show me her feäce. There her father, years wolder, did stoop. An’ her brother, wer now a-grow’d staïd, An’ the apple tree lower did droop. Out in the […]