Page:Barnes (1879) Poems of rural life in the Dorset dialect (combined).djvu/439

Rh An’ she, so winsome-feäir did vwold Her comely limbs in green an’ goold, An’ wear a rwosy wreath, wi’ studs O’ berries green, an’ new-born buds, A-fring’d in colours vier-bright, Wi’ sheäpes o’ buttervlees in flight. When Zummer went, the next ov all Did come the sheäpe o’ brown-feäc’d Fall, A-smilèn in a comely gown O’ green, a-shot wi’ yellow-brown, A-border’d wi’ a goolden stripe O’ fringe, a-meäde o’ corn-ears ripe, An’ up ageän her comely zide, Upon her rounded eärm, did ride A perty basket, all a-twin’d O’ slender stems wi’ leaves an’ rind, A-vill’d wi’ fruit the trees did shed, All ripe, in purple, goold, an’ red; An’ busy Leäbor there did come A-zingèn zongs ov harvest hwome, An’ red-ear’d dogs did briskly run Roun’ cheervul Leisure wi’ his gun, Or stan’ an’ mark, wi’ stedvast zight, The speckled pa’tridge rise in flight. An’ next ageän to mild-feäc’d Fall Did come peäle Winter, last ov all, A-bendèn down, in thoughtvul mood, Her head ’ithin a snow-white hood A-deck’d wi’ icy-jewels, bright An’ cwold as twinklèn stars o’ night; An’ there wer weary Leäbor, slack O’ veet to keep her vrozen track, A-lookèn off, wi’ wistful eyes, To reefs o’ smoke, that there did rise A-meltèn to the peäle-feac’d zun, Above the houses’ lofty tun.