William Barnes

Second Collection. Culver Dell and the Squire

There’s noo pleäce I do like so well,
As Elem Knap in Culver Dell,
Where timber trees, wi’ lofty shouds,
Did rise avore the western clouds;
An’ stan’ ageän, wi’ veathery tops,
A-swaÿèn up in North-Hill Copse.
An’ on the east the mornèn broke
Above a dewy grove o’ woak:
An’ noontide shed its burnèn light
On ashes on the southern height;
An’ I could vind zome teäles to tell,
O’ former days in Culver Dell.

An’ all the vo’k did love so well
The good wold squire o’ Culver Dell,
That used to ramble drough the sheädes
O’ timber, or the burnèn gleädes,
An’ come at evenèn up the leäze
Wi’ red-ear’d dogs bezide his knees
An’ hold his gun, a-hangèn drough
His eärmpit, out above his tooe.
Wi’ kindly words upon his tongue,
Vor vo’k that met en, wold an’ young,
Vor he did know the poor so well
’S the richest vo’k in Culver Dell.

An’ while the woäk, wi’ spreadèn head,
Did sheäde the foxes’ verny bed;
An’ runnèn heäres, in zunny gleädes,
Did beät the grasses’ quiv’rèn’ bleädes;
An’ speckled pa’tridges took flight
In stubble vields a-feädèn white;
Or he could zee the pheasant strut
In sheädy woods, wi’ painted cwoat;
Or long-tongued dogs did love to run
Among the leaves, bezide his gun;
We didden want vor call to dwell
At hwome in peace in Culver Dell.

But now I hope his kindly feäce
Is gone to vind a better pleäce;
But still, wi’ vo’k a-left behind
He’ll always be a-kept in mind,
Vor all his springy-vooted hounds
Ha’ done o’ trottèn round his grounds,
An’ we have all a-left the spot,
To teäke, a-scatter’d, each his lot;
An’ even Father, lik’ the rest,
Ha’ left our long vorseäken nest;
An’ we should vind it sad to dwell,
Ageän at hwome in Culver Dell.

The aïry mornèns still mid smite
Our windows wi’ their rwosy light,
An’ high-zunn’d noons mid dry the dew
On growèn groun’ below our shoe;
The blushèn evenèn still mid dye,
Wi’ viry red, the western sky;
The zunny spring-time’s quicknèn power
Mid come to oben leaf an’ flower;
An’ days an’ tides mid bring us on
Woone pleasure when another’s gone.
But we must bid a long farewell
To days an’ tides in Culver Dell.