Page:Barnes (1879) Poems of rural life in the Dorset dialect (combined).djvu/265

Rh An’ birds o’ day a-zingèn clear, An’ leaves, that I mid zit an’ hear A-rustlèn near, when birds be still.

no, I quite injaÿ’d the ride &emsp;Behind wold Dobbin’s heavy heels, Wi’ Jeäne a-prattlèn at my zide, &emsp;Above our peäir o’ spinnèn wheels, As grey-rin’d ashes’ swaÿèn tops Did creak in moonlight in the copse, Above the quiv’rèn grass, a-beät By wind a-blowèn drough the geät.

If weary souls did want their sleep, &emsp;They had a-zent vor sleep the night; Vor vo’k that had a call to keep &emsp;Awake, lik’ us, there still wer light. An’ He that shut the sleepers’ eyes, A-waïtèn vor the zun to rise, Ha’ too much love to let em know The ling’rèn night did goo so slow.

But if my wife did catch a zight &emsp;O’ zome queer pollard, or a post, Poor soul! she took en in her fright &emsp;To be a robber or a ghost. A two-stump’d withy, wi’ a head, Mus’ be a man wi’ eärms a-spread; An’ foam o’ water, round a rock, Wer then a drownèn leädy’s frock.

Zome staddle stwones to bear a mow, &emsp;Wer dancèn veäries on the lag; An’ then a snow-white sheeted cow &emsp;Could only be, she thought, their flag,