Poem by William Barnes

First Collection. Winter. The Carter

O, I be a carter, wi’ my whip
 A-smackèn loud, as by my zide,
Up over hill, an’ down the dip,
 The heavy lwoad do slowly ride.

An’ I do haul in all the crops,
 An’ I do bring in vuzz vrom down;
An’ I do goo vor wood to copse.
 An’ car the corn an’ straw to town.

An’ I do goo vor lime, an’ bring
 Hwome cider wi’ my sleek-heäir’d team,
An’ smack my limber whip an’ zing,
 While all their bells do gaïly cheeme.

An’ I do always know the pleäce
 To gi’e the hosses breath, or drug;
An’ ev’ry hoss do know my feäce,
 An’ mind my ’mether ho! an’ whug!

An’ merry haÿ-meäkers do ride
 Vrom vield in zummer wi’ their prongs,
In my blue waggon, zide by zide
 Upon the reäves, a-zingèn zongs.

An’ when the vrost do catch the stream,
 An’ oves wi’ icicles be hung,
My pantèn hosses’ breath do steam
 In white-grass’d vields, a-haulèn dung.

An’ mine’s the waggon fit vor lwoads,
 An’ mine be lwoads to cut a rout;
An’ mine’s a team, in routy rwoads,
 To pull a lwoaded waggon out.

A zull is nothèn when do come
 Behind their lags; an’ they do teäke
A roller as they would a drum,
 An’ harrow as they would a reäke.

O! I be a carter, wi’ my whip
 A-smackèn loud, as by my zide,
Up over hill, an’ down the dip,
 The heavy lwoad do slowly ride.

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. I know Who
5. Third Collection. Went vrom Hwome

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