Poem by William Barnes

First Collection. Winter. Fanny’s Be’th-day

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 ō’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 glisten lik’ the mornèn dew;
An’ while the cider-mug did stand
A-hissèn by the bleäzèn brand,
An’ uncle’s pipe wer in his hand,
 How little he or we did think
 How peäle the zettèn stars did blink
  While music wer a-soundèn.

An’ Fanny’s last young teen begun,
Poor maïd, wi’ thik day’s risèn zun,
An’ we all wish’d her many mwore
Long years wi’ happiness in store;
An’ as she went an’ stood avore
 The vier, by her father’s zide,
 Her mother dropp’d a tear o’ pride
  While music wer a-soundèn.

An’ then we did all kinds o’ tricks
Wi’ han’kerchiefs, an’ strings, an’ sticks:
An’ woone did try to overmatch
Another wi’ zome cunnèn catch,
While tothers slyly tried to hatch
 Zome geäme; but yet, by chap an’ maïd,
 The dancèn wer the mwost injaÿ’d,
  While music wer a-soundèn.

The briskest chap ov all the lot
Wer Tom, that danc’d hizzelf so hot,
He doff’d his cwoat an’ jump’d about,
Wi’ girt new shirt-sleeves all a-strout,
Among the maïdens screamèn out,
 A-thinkèn, wi’ his strides an’ stamps,
 He’d squot their veet wi’ his girt clamps,
  While music wer a-soundèn.

Then up jump’d uncle vrom his chair,
An’ pull’d out aunt to meäke a peäir;
An’ off he zet upon his tooe.
So light’s the best that beät a shoe,
Wi’ aunt a-crièn “Let me goo:”
 While all ov us did laugh so loud,
 We drown’d the tuèn o’ the croud,
  While music wer a-soundèn.

A-comèn out o’ passage, Nan,
Wi’ pipes an’ cider in her han’,
An’ watchèn uncle up so sprack,
Vorgot her veet, an’ vell down smack
Athirt the house-dog’s shaggy back,
 That wer in passage vor a snooze,
 Beyond the reach o’ dancers’ shoes,
  While music wer a-soundèn.

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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