William Barnes

Second Collection. The May-tree

I’ve a-come by the Maÿ-tree all times o’ the year,
    When leaves wer a-springèn,
    When vrost wer a-stingèn,
When cool-winded mornèn did show the hills clear,
When night wer bedimmèn the vields vur an’ near.

When, in zummer, his head wer as white as a sheet,
    Wi’ white buds a-zwellèn,
    An’ blossom, sweet-smellèn,
While leaves wi’ green leaves on his bough-zides did meet,
A-sheädèn the deäisies down under our veet.

When the zun, in the Fall, wer a-wanderèn wan,
    An’ haws on his head
    Did sprinkle en red,
Or bright drops o’ rain wer a-hung loosely on,
To the tips o’ the sprigs when the scud wer a-gone.

An’ when, in the winter, the zun did goo low,
    An’ keen win’ did huffle,
    But never could ruffle
The hard vrozen feäce o’ the water below,
His limbs wer a-fringed wi’ the vrost or the snow.