Poem by William Barnes

Third Collection. Fall Time

The gather’d clouds, a-hangèn low,
 Do meäke the woody ridge look dim;
An’ raïn-vill’d streams do brisker flow,
 Arisèn higher to their brim.
In the tree, vrom lim’ to lim’,
   Leaves do drop
Vrom the top, all slowly down,
Yollow, to the gloomy groun’.

The rick’s a-tipp’d an’ weather-brown’d,
 An’ thatch’d wi’ zedge a-dried an’ dead;
An’ orcha’d apples, red half round,
 Have all a-happer’d down, a-shed
Underneath the trees’ wide head.
   Ladders long,
Rong by rong, to clim’ the tall
Trees, be hung upon the wall.

The crumpled leaves be now a-shed
 In mornèn winds a-blowèn keen;
When they wer green the moss wer dead,
 Now they be dead the moss is green.
Low the evenèn zun do sheen
   By the boughs,
Where the cows do swing their taïls
Over the merry milkers’ païls.

1. Second Collection. I know Who
2. Second Collection. Meäry Wedded
3. Third Collection. Fancy
4. Third Collection. Leaves a-vallèn
5. Third Collection. Naighbour Plaÿmeätes

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