Poems of Rural Life in the Dorset Dialect

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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.


[Illustration]


LONDON: KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRUeBNER & 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
Leaedy-Day, an' Ridden House                         5
Easter Zunday                                       8
Easter Monday                                       9
Dock-Leaves                                         9
The Blackbird                                      10
Woodcom' Feaest                                     12
The Milk-Maid o' the Farm                          13
The Girt Woak Tree that's in the Dell              15
Vellen o' the Tree                                 16
Bringen Woone Gwain o' Zundays                     17
Evenen Twilight                                    18
Evenen 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 Coorten                     30


SUMMER.

Evenen, an' Maidens out at Door                    34
The Shepherd o' the Farm                           35
Vields in the Light                                36
Whitsuntide an' Club Walken                        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
Haven Woones Fortune a-twold                       46
Jeaene's Wedden Day in Mornen                       47
Rivers don't gi'e out                              49
Meaeken up a Miff                                   50
Hay-Meaeken                                         51
Hay-Carren                                         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 Meaed a-mow'd                                   60
The Sky a-cleaeren                                  61
The Evenen Star o' Zummer                          62
The Clote                                          63
I got two Vields                                   65
Polly be-en upzides wi' Tom                        66
Be'mi'ster                                         67
Thatchen o' the Rick                               68
Bees a-Zwarmen                                     69
Readen ov a Head-stwone                            70
Zummer Evenen Dance                                71
Eclogue:--The Veaeiries                             72


FALL.

Corn a-turnen Yollow                               76
A-Haulen o' the Corn                               77
Harvest Hwome:--The vu'st Peaert                    78
Harvest Hwome:--Second Peaert                       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 Veaeiry Veet that I do meet                     87
Mornen                                             88
Out a-Nutten                                       90
Teaeken in Apples                                   91
Meaeple Leaves be Yoll