William Barnes (Уильям Барнс)

Third Collection. Vull a Man

No, I’m a man, I’m vull a man,
You beät my manhood, if you can.
You’ll be a man if you can teäke
All steätes that household life do meäke.
The love-toss’d child, a-croodlèn loud,
 The bwoy a-screamèn wild in plaÿ,
The tall grown youth a-steppèn proud,
 The father staïd, the house’s staÿ.
  No; I can boast if others can,
     I’m vull a man.

A young-cheäk’d mother’s tears mid vall,
When woone a-lost, not half man-tall,
Vrom little hand, a-called vrom plaÿ,
Do leäve noo tool, but drop a taÿ,
An’ die avore he’s father-free
 To sheäpe his life by his own plan;
An’ vull an angel he shall be,
 But here on e’th not vull a man,
  No; I could boast if others can,
     I’m vull a man.

I woonce, a child, war father-fed,
An’ I’ve avound my childern bread;
My eärm, a sister’s trusty crook,
Is now a faïthvul wife’s own hook;
An’ I’ve a-gone where vo’k did zend,
 An’ gone upon my own free mind,
An’ of’en at my own wits’ end.
 A-led o’ God while I wer blind.
  No; I could boast if others can
     I’m vull a man.

An’ still, ov all my tweil ha’ won,
My lovèn maïd an’ merry son,
Though each in turn’s a jaÿ an’ ceäre,
’Ve a-had, an’ still shall have, their sheäre;
An’ then, if God should bless their lives,
 Why I mid zend vrom son to son
My life, right on drough men an’ wives,
 As long, good now, as time do run.
  No; I could boast if others can,
     I’m vull a man.

1. Second Collection. The Linden on the Lawn
2. Second Collection. When Birds be Still
3. Third Collection. Changes
4. First Collection. Summer. Week’s End in Zummer, in the Wold Vo’k’s Time
5. Second Collection. The Waggon a-stooded

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