Poem by William Barnes

Second Collection. Zun-zet

Where the western zun, unclouded,
 Up above the grey hill-tops,
Did sheen drough ashes, lofty sh’ouded.
 On the turf bezide the copse,
  In zummer weather,
  We together,
  Sorrow-slightèn, work-vorgettèn.
  Gambol’d wi’ the zun a-zetten.

There, by flow’ry bows o’ bramble,
 Under hedge, in ash-tree sheädes,
The dun-heaïr’d ho’se did slowly ramble
 On the grasses’ dewy bleädes,
  Zet free o’ lwoads,
  An’ stwony rwoads,
  Vorgetvul o’ the lashes frettèn,
  Grazèn wi’ the zun a-zettèn.

There wer rooks a-beätèn by us
 Drough the aïr, in a vlock,
An’ there the lively blackbird, nigh us,
 On the meäple bough did rock,
  Wi’ ringèn droat,
  Where zunlight smote
  The yollow boughs o’ zunny hedges
  Over western hills’ blue edges.

Waters, drough the meäds a-purlèn,
 Glissen’d in the evenèn’s light,
An’ smoke, above the town a-curlèn,
 Melted slowly out o’ zight;
  An’ there, in glooms
  Ov unzunn’d rooms,
  To zome, wi’ idle sorrows frettèn,
  Zuns did set avore their zettèn.

We were out in geämes and reäces,
 Loud a-laughèn, wild in me’th,
Wi’ windblown heäir, an’ zunbrown’d feäces,
 Leäpen on the high-sky’d e’th,
  Avore the lights
  Wer tin’d o’ nights,
  An’ while the gossamer’s light nettèn
  Sparkled to the zun a-zettèn.

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

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