William Barnes

Second Collection. The Lovely Maïd ov Elwell Meäd

A maïd wi’ many gifts o’ greäce,
A maïd wi’ ever-smilèn feäce,
A child o’ yours my chilhood’s pleäce,
 O leänèn lawns ov Allen;
’S a-walkèn where your stream do flow,
A-blushèn where your flowers do blow,
A-smilèn where your zun do glow,
 O leänèn lawns ov Allen.
  An’ good, however good’s a-waïgh’d,
  ’S the lovely maïd ov Elwell Meäd.

An’ oh! if I could teäme an’ guide
The winds above the e’th, an’ ride
As light as shootèn stars do glide,
 O leänèn lawns ov Allen,
To you I’d teäke my daily flight,
Drough dark’nèn aïr in evenèn’s light,
An’ bid her every night “Good night,”
 O leänèn lawns ov Allen.
  Vor good, however good’s a-waïgh’d,
  ’S the lovely maïd ov Elwell Meäd.

An’ when your hedges’ slooes be blue,
By blackberries o’ dark’nèn hue,
An’ spiders’ webs behung wi’ dew,
 O leänèn lawns ov Allen,
Avore the winter aïr’s a-chill’d,
Avore your winter brook’s a-vill’d
Avore your zummer flow’rs be kill’d,
 O leänèn lawns ov Allen;
  I there would meet, in white array’d,
  The lovely maïd ov Elwell Meäd.

For when the zun, as birds do rise,
Do cast their sheädes vrom autum’ skies,
A-sparklèn in her dewy eyes,
 O leänèn lawns ov Allen;
Then all your mossy paths below
The trees, wi’ leaves a-vallèn slow,
Like zinkèn fleäkes o’ yollow snow,
 O leänèn lawns ov Allen.
  Would be mwore teäkèn where they straÿ’d
  The lovely maïd ov Elwell Meäd.