Chapter 1

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[Transcriber's Note: The Pronunciation Guide and Word List are at the end of the book.]

_POEMS OF RURAL LIFE IN THE DORSET DIALECT._

BY WILLIAM BARNES.

LONDON: KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRÜBNER & Co., LTD. 1903

_TO THE READER._

KIND READER,

Two of the three Collections of these Dorset Poems have been, for some time, out of print, and the whole of the three sets are now brought out in one volume.

I have little more to say for them, than that the writing of them as glimpses of life and landscape in Dorset, which often open to my memory and mindsight, has given me very much pleasure; and my happiness would be enhanced if I could believe that you would feel my sketches to be so truthful and pleasing as to give you even a small share of pleasure, such as that of the memories from which I have written them.

This edition has a list of such Dorset words as are found in the Poems, with some hints on Dorset word shapes, and I hope that they will be found a fully good key to the meanings of the verse.

Yours kindly,

W. BARNES

_June 1879._

CONTENTS.

FIRST COLLECTION.

SPRING.

The Spring 3 The Woodlands 4 Leädy-Day, an' Riddèn House 5 Easter Zunday 8 Easter Monday 9 Dock-Leaves 9 The Blackbird 10 Woodcom' Feäst 12 The Milk-Maïd o' the Farm 13 The Girt Woak Tree that's in the Dell 15 Vellèn o' the Tree 16 Bringèn Woone Gwaïn o' Zundays 17 Evenèn Twilight 18 Evenèn in the Village 20 May 20 Bob the Fiddler 22 Hope in Spring 23 The White Road up athirt the Hill 24 The Woody Hollow 25 Jenny's Ribbons 26 Eclogue:--The 'Lotments 28 Eclogue:--A Bit o' Sly Coortèn 30

SUMMER.

Evenèn, an' Maïdens out at Door 34 The Shepherd o' the Farm 35 Vields in the Light 36 Whitsuntide an' Club Walkèn 37 Woodley 39 The Brook that Ran by Gramfer's 41 Sleep did come wi' the Dew 42 Sweet Music in the Wind 43 Uncle an' Aunt 44 Havèn Woones Fortune a-twold 46 Jeäne's Weddèn Day in Mornèn 47 Rivers don't gi'e out 49 Meäken up a Miff 50 Haÿ-Meäken 51 Haÿ-Carrèn 52 Eclogue:--The Best Man in the Vield 54 Where we did keep our Flagon 57 Week's End in Zummer, in the Wold Vo'k's Time 58 The Meäd a-mow'd 60 The Sky a-cleärèn 61 The Evenèn Star o' Zummer 62 The Clote 63 I got two Vields 65 Polly be-èn upzides wi' Tom 66 Be'mi'ster 67 Thatchèn o' the Rick 68 Bees a-Zwarmèn 69 Readèn ov a Head-stwone 70 Zummer Evenèn Dance 71 Eclogue:--The Veäiries 72

FALL.

Corn a-turnèn Yollow 76 A-Haulèn o' the Corn 77 Harvest Hwome:--The vu'st Peärt 78 Harvest Hwome:--Second Peärt 79 A Zong ov Harvest Hwome 80 Poll's Jack-Daw 82 The Ivy 83 The Welshnut Tree 84 Jenny out vrom Hwome 86 Grenley Water 86 The Veäiry Veet that I do meet 87 Mornèn 88 Out a-Nuttèn 90 Teäkèn in Apples 91 Meäple Leaves be Yollow 92 Night a-zettèn in 93 The Weather-beäten Tree 94 Shrodon Feäir:--The vu'st Peärt 95 Shrodon Feäir:--The rest o't 96 Martin's Tide 97 Guy Faux's Night 99 Eclogue:--The Common a-took in 100 Eclogue:--Two Farms in Woone 102

WINTER.

The Vrost 105 A Bit o' Fun 106 Fanny's Be'th-day 107 What Dick an' I did 109 Grammer's Shoes 111 Zunsheen in the Winter 112 The Weepèn Leädy 113 The Happy Days when I wer Young 115 In the Stillness o' the Night 116 The Settle an' the Girt Wood Vire 117 The Carter 118 Chris'mas Invitation 120 Keepèn up o' Chris'mas 121 Zittèn out the Wold Year 122 Woak wer Good Enough Woonce 123 Lullaby 124 Meäry-Ann's Child 125 Eclogue:--Father Come Hwome 126 Eclogue:--A Ghost 129

SUNDRY PIECES.

A Zong 133 The Maïd vor my Bride 134 The Hwomestead 135 The Farmer's Woldest D[=a]'ter 136 Uncle out o' Debt an' out o' Danger 137 The Church an' Happy Zunday 140 The Wold Waggon 141 The Drèven o' the Common 142 The Common a-took in 143 A Wold Friend 145 The Rwose that Deck'd her Breast 145 Nanny's Cow 147 The Shep'erd Bwoy 148 Hope a-left Behind 149 A Good Father 150 The Beam in Grenley Church 151 The Vaïces that be Gone 152 Poll 153 Looks a-know'd Avore 154 The Music o' the Dead 155 The Pleäce a Teäle's a-twold o' 156 Aunt's Tantrums 158 The Stwonèn Pworch 159 Farmer's Sons 160 Jeäne 161 The Dree Woaks 162 The Hwomestead a-vell into Hand 164 The Guide Post 166 Gwain to Feäir 167 Jeäne o' Grenley Mill 168 The Bells ov Alderburnham 169 The Girt Wold House o' Mossy Stwone 170 A Witch 173 Eclogue:--The Times 175

* * * * *

SECOND COLLECTION.

Blackmwore Maïdens 185 My Orcha'd in Lindèn Lea 186 Bishop's Caundle 187 Hay Meäkèn--Nunchen Time 189 A Father out an' Mother Hwome 191 Riddles 192 Day's Work a-done 196 Light or Sheäde 197 The Waggon a-stooded 197 Gwaïn down the Steps 201 Ellen Brine ov Allenburn 202 The Motherless Child 203 The Leädy's Tower 204 Fatherhood 208 The Maïd o' Newton 211 Childhood 212 Meäry's Smile 213 Meäry Wedded 214 The Stwonèn Bwoy 215 The Young that died in Beauty 217 Fäir Emily of Yarrow Mill 218 The Scud 219 Mindèn House 221 The Lovely Maïd ov Elwell Meäd 222 Our Fathers' Works 224 The Wold vo'k Dead 225 Culver Dell and the Squire 227 Our Be'thplace 229 The Window freämed wi' Stwone 230 The Waterspring in the Leäne 231 The Poplars 232 The Linden on the Lawn 233 Our abode in Arby Wood 235 Slow to come, quick agone 236 The Vier-zide 236 Knowlwood 238 Hallowed Pleäces 240 The Wold Wall 242 Bleäke's House 243 John Bleäke at Hwome 245 Milkèn Time 247 When Birds be Still 248 Ridèn Hwome at Night 249 Zun-zet. 250 Spring 252 The Zummer Hedge 253 The Water Crowvoot 254 The Lilac 255 The Blackbird 256 The Slantèn light o' Fall 257 Thissledown 259 The May-tree 259 The Lydlinch Bells 260 The Stage Coach 261 Wayfeärèn 263 The Leäne 265 The Raïlroad 267 The Raïlroad 268 Seats 268 Sound o' Water 270 Trees be Company 270 A Pleäce in Zight 272 Gwaïn to Brookwell 273 Brookwell 275 The Shy Man 277 The Winter's Willow 279 I know Who 281 Jessie Lee 282 True Love 283 The Beän-vield 284 Wold Friends a-met 286 Fifehead 288 Ivy Hall 289 False Friends-like 290 The Bachelor 290 Married Peäir's Love-walk 292 A Wife a-praïs'd 293 The Wife a-lost 295 The Thorns in the Geäte 296 Angels by the Door 297 Vo'k a-comèn into Church 298 Woone Rule 299 Good Meäster Collins 300 Herrènston 302 Out at Plough 304 The Bwoat 306 The Pleäce our own agean 307 Eclogue:--John an' Thomas 308 Pentridge by the River 310 Wheat 311 The Meäd in June 313 Early risén 315 Zelling woone's Honey 316 Dobbin Dead 317 Happiness 319 Gruffmoody Grim 320 The Turn o' the Days 322 The Sparrow Club 323 Gammony Gaÿ 325 The Heäre 327 Nanny Gill 329 Moonlight on the Door 330 My Love's Guardian Angel 331 Leeburn Mill 332 Praise o' Do'set 333

THIRD COLLECTION.

Woone Smile Mwore 339 The Echo 340 Vull a Man 341 Naighbour Plaÿmeätes 343 The Lark 345 The Two Churches 345 Woak Hill 347 The Hedger 348 In the Spring 349 The Flood in Spring 350 Comen Hwome 351 Grammer a-crippled 352 The Castle Ruins 354 Eclogue:--John jealous 355 Early Plaÿmeäte 359 Pickèn o' Scroff 360 Good Night 361 Went Hwome 362 The Hollow Woak 363 Childern's Childern 364 The Rwose in the Dark 365 Come 366 Zummer Winds 367 The Neäme Letters 368 The New House a-gettèn Wold 370 Zunday 370 The Pillar'd Geäte 371 Zummer Stream 373 Zummer Stream 373 Linda Deäne 374 Eclogue:--Come an' zee us 376 Lindenore 377 Me'th below the Tree 378 Treat well your Wife 379 The Child an' the Mowers 381 The Love Child 382 Hawthorn Down 383 Oben Vields 385 What John wer a-tellèn 386 Sheädes 387 Times o' Year 387 Eclogue:--Racketèn Joe 388 Zummer an' Winter 391 To Me 392 Two an' Two 393 The Lew o' the Rick 394 The Wind in Woone's Feäce 395 Tokens 396 Tweil 396 Fancy 398 The Broken Heart 399 Evenèn Light 400 Vields by Watervalls 401 The Wheel Routs 402 Nanny's new Abode 403 Leaves a-vallèn 404 Lizzie 405 Blessens a-left 406 Fall Time 407 Fall 408 The Zilver-weed 409 The Widow's House 409 The Child's Greäve 410 Went vrom Hwome 412 The Fancy Feäir 412 Things do Come Round 414 Zummer Thoughts in Winter Time 415 I'm out o' Door 416 Grief an' Gladness 417 Slidèn 418 Lwonesomeness 420 A Snowy Night 421 The Year-clock 421 Not goo Hwome To-night 424 The Humstrum 426 Shaftesbury Feäir 427 The Beäten Path 429 Ruth a-ridèn 430 Beauty Undecked 432 My love is good 432 Heedless o' my love 434 The Do'set Militia 435 A Do'set Sale 437 Don't ceäre 437 Changes 439 Kindness 440 Withstanders 441 Daniel Dwithen 442 Turnèn things off 444 The Giants in Treädes 445 The Little Worold 447 Bad News 448 The Turnstile 449 The Better vor zeèn o' you 450 Pity 451 John Bloom in Lon'on 453 A Lot o' Maïdens 456

POEMS OF RURAL LIFE.

FIRST COLLECTION.

SPRING.

THE SPRING.

When wintry weather's all a-done, An' brooks do sparkle in the zun, An' nâisy-buildèn rooks do vlee Wi' sticks toward their elem tree; When birds do zing, an' we can zee Upon the boughs the buds o' spring,-- Then I'm as happy as a king, A-vield wi' health an' zunsheen.

Vor then the cowslip's hangèn flow'r A-wetted in the zunny show'r, Do grow wi' vi'lets, sweet o' smell, Bezide the wood-screen'd grægle's bell; Where drushes' aggs, wi' sky-blue shell, Do lie in mossy nest among The thorns, while they do zing their zong At evenèn in the zunsheen.

An' God do meäke his win' to blow An' raïn to vall vor high an' low, An' bid his mornèn zun to rise Vor all alike, an' groun' an' skies Ha' colors vor the poor man's eyes: An' in our trials He is near, To hear our mwoan an' zee our tear, An' turn our clouds to zunsheen.

An' many times when I do vind Things all goo wrong, an' vo'k unkind, To zee the happy veedèn herds, An' hear the zingèn o' the birds, Do soothe my sorrow mwore than words; Vor I do zee that 'tis our sin Do meäke woone's soul so dark 'ithin, When God would gi'e woone zunsheen.

THE WOODLANDS.

O spread ageän your leaves an' flow'rs, Lwonesome woodlands! zunny woodlands! Here underneath the dewy show'rs O' warm-aïr'd spring-time, zunny woodlands! As when, in drong or open ground, Wi' happy bwoyish heart I vound The twitt'rèn birds a-buildèn round Your high-bough'd hedges, zunny woodlands.

You gie'd me life, you gie'd me jaÿ, Lwonesome woodlands! zunny woodlands You gie'd me health, as in my plaÿ I rambled through ye, zunny woodlands! You gie'd me freedom, vor to rove In aïry meäd or sheädy grove; You gie'd me smilèn Fannèy's love, The best ov all o't, zunny woodlands!

My vu'st shrill skylark whiver'd high, Lwonesome woodlands! zunny woodlands! To zing below your deep-blue sky An' white spring-clouds, O zunny woodlands! An' boughs o' trees that woonce stood here, Wer glossy green the happy year That gie'd me woone I lov'd so dear, An' now ha' lost, O zunny woodlands!

O let me rove ageän unspied, Lwonesome woodlands! zunny woodlands! Along your green-bough'd hedges' zide, As then I rambled, zunny woodlands! An' where the missèn trees woonce stood, Or tongues woonce rung among the wood, My memory shall meäke em good, Though you've a-lost em, zunny woodlands!

LEADY-DAY, AN' RIDDEN HOUSE.

Aye, back at Leädy-Day, you know, I come vrom Gullybrook to Stowe; At Leädy-Day I took my pack O' rottletraps, an' turn'd my back Upon the weather-beäten door, That had a-screen'd, so long avore, The mwost that theäse zide o' the greäve, I'd live to have, or die to seäve! My childern, an' my vier-pleäce, Where Molly wi' her cheerful feäce, When I'd a-trod my wat'ry road Vrom night-bedarken'd vields abrode, Wi' nimble hands, at evenèn, blest Wi' vire an' vood my hard-won rest; The while the little woones did clim', So sleek-skinn'd, up from lim' to lim', Till, strugglèn hard an' clingèn tight, They reach'd at last my feäce's height. All tryèn which could soonest hold My mind wi' little teäles they twold. An' riddèn house is such a caddle, I shan't be over keen vor mwore [=o]'t, Not yet a while, you mid be sure [=o]'t,-- I'd rather keep to woone wold staddle.