Poem by William Barnes

Second Collection. When Birds be Still

Vor all the zun do leäve the sky,
An’ all the sounds o’ day do die,
An’ noo mwore veet do walk the dim
Vield-path to clim’ the stiel’s bars,
Yeet out below the rizèn stars,
The dark’nèn day mid leäve behind
Woone tongue that I shall always vind,
A-whisperèn kind, when birds be still.

Zoo let the day come on to spread
His kindly light above my head,
Wi’ zights to zee, an’ sounds to hear,
That still do cheer my thoughtvul mind;
Or let en goo, an’ leäve behind
An’ hour to stroll along the gleädes,
Where night do drown the beeches’ sheädes,
On grasses’ bleädes, when birds be still.

Vor when the night do lull the sound
O’ cows a-bleärèn out in ground,
The sh’ill-vaïc’d dog do stan’ an’ bark
’Ithin the dark, bezide the road;
An’ when noo cracklèn waggon’s lwoad
Is in the leäne, the wind do bring
The merry peals that bells do ring
O ding-dong-ding, when birds be still.

Zoo teäke, vor me, the town a-drown’d,
’Ithin a storm o’ rumblèn sound.
An’ gi’e me vaïces that do speak
So soft an’ meek, to souls alwone;
The brook a-gurglèn round a stwone,
An’ birds o’ day a-zingèn clear,
An’ leaves, that I mid zit an’ hear
A-rustlèn near, when birds be still.

1. First Collection. Summer. Week’s End in Zummer, in the Wold Vo’k’s Time
2. Second Collection. The Linden on the Lawn
3. Third Collection. Went vrom Hwome
4. Third Collection. Shaftesbury Feäir
5. Third Collection. Changes

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