William Barnes

Third Collection. Early Plaÿmeäte

After many long years had a-run,
 The while I wer a-gone vrom the pleäce,
I come back to the vields, where the zun
 Ov her childhood did show me her feäce.
There her father, years wolder, did stoop.
 An’ her brother, wer now a-grow’d staïd,
An’ the apple tree lower did droop.
 Out in the orcha’d where we had a-plaÿ’d,
There wer zome things a-seemèn the seäme,
 But Meäry’s a-married awaÿ.

There wer two little childern a-zent,
 Wi’ a message to me, oh! so feaïr
As the mother that they did zoo ment,
 When in childhood she plaÿ’d wi’ me there.
Zoo they twold me that if I would come
 Down to Coomb, I should zee a wold friend,
Vor a plaÿmeäte o’ mine wer at hwome,
 An’ would stay till another week’s end.
At the dear pworchfed door, could I dare
 To zee Meäry a-married awaÿ!

On the flower-not, now all a-trod
 Stwony hard, the green grass wer a-spread,
An’ the long-slighted woodbine did nod
 Vrom the wall, wi’ a loose-hangèn head.
An’ the martin’s clay nest wer a-hung
 Up below the brown oves, in the dry,
An’ the rooks had a-rock’d broods o’ young
 On the elems below the Maÿ sky;
But the bud on the bed, coulden bide,
 Wi’ young Meäry a-married awaÿ.