Poem by William Barnes

First Collection. Summer. The Clote

          (Water-lily.)

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’s heads, 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 do hide;
The bendèn bulrush, a-swaÿèn slowly,
 Do skirt in zummer thy river’s zide;
   An’ perch in shoals, O,
   Do vill the holes, O,
Where thou dost float, goolden zummer clote!

Oh! when thy brook-drinkèn flow’r ’s a-blowèn,
 The burnèn zummer’s a-zettèn in;
The time o’ greenness, the time o’ mowèn,
 When in the haÿ-vield, wi’ zunburnt skin,
   The vo’k do drink, O,
   Upon the brink, O,
Where thou dost float, goolden zummer clote!

Wi’ eärms a-spreadèn, an’ cheäks a-blowèn,
 How proud wer I when I vu’st could zwim
Athirt the pleäce where thou bist a-growèn,
 Wi’ thy long more vrom the bottom dim;
   While cows, knee-high, O,
   In brook, wer nigh, O,
Where thou dost float, goolden zummer clote!

Ov all the brooks drough the meäds a-windèn,
 Ov all the meäds by a river’s brim,
There’s nwone so feäir o’ my own heart’s vindèn,
 As where the maïdens do zee thee swim,
   An’ stan’ to teäke, O,
   Wi’ long-stemm’d reäke, O,
Thy flow’r afloat, goolden zummer clote!

1. Second Collection. The Linden on the Lawn
2. Second Collection. When Birds be Still
3. First Collection. Summer. Week’s End in Zummer, in the Wold Vo’k’s Time
4. Second Collection. The Lydlinch Bells
5. Third Collection. The Wheel Routs

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