Page:Barnes (1879) Poems of rural life in the Dorset dialect (combined).djvu/226

210 An’ they all come so busy an’ thick &emsp;As the bees vlee-èn into their hive, An’ they meäde me so happy an’ proud, That my heart could ha’ crow’d out a-loud; &emsp;They did tweil zoo, an’ smile zoo, &emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;An’ coll me so cwold.

As I zot wi’ my teacup, at rest, &emsp;There I pull’d out the taÿs I did bring; &emsp;Men a-kickèn, a-wagg’d wi’ a string, An’ goggle-ey’d dolls to be drest; An’ oh! vrom the childern there sprung &emsp;Such a charm when they handled their taÿs, That vor pleasure the bigger woones wrung &emsp;Their two hands at the zight o’ their jaÿs; As the bwoys’ bigger vaïces vell in Wi’ the maïdens a-titterèn thin, &emsp;An’ their dancèn an’ prancèn, &emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;An’ little mouth’s laughs.

Though ’tis hard stripes to breed em all up, &emsp;If I’m only a-blest vrom above, &emsp;They’ll meäke me amends wi’ their love, Vor their pillow, their pleäte, an’ their cup; Though I shall be never a-spweil’d &emsp;Wi’ the sarvice that money can buy; Still the hands ov a wife an’ a child &emsp;Be the blessèns ov low or ov high; An’ if there be mouths to be ved, He that zent em can zend me their bread, &emsp;An’ will smile on the chile &emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;That’s a-new on the knee.