Poem by William Barnes

First Collection. Summer. Where we did keep our Flagon

When we in mornèn had a-drow’d
The grass or russlèn haÿ abrode,
The lit’some maïdens an’ the chaps,
Wi’ bits o’ nunchèns in their laps,
Did all zit down upon the knaps
 Up there, in under hedge, below
 The highest elem o’ the row,
  Where we did keep our flagon.

There we could zee green vields at hand,
Avore a hunderd on beyand,
An’ rows o’ trees in hedges roun’
Green meäds, an’ zummerleäzes brown,
An’ thorns upon the zunny down,
 While aïer, vrom the rockèn zedge
 In brook, did come along the hedge,
  Where we did keep our flagon.

There laughèn chaps did try in plaÿ
To bury maïdens up in haÿ,
As gigglèn maïdens tried to roll
The chaps down into zome deep hole,
Or sting wi’ nettles woone o’m’s poll;
 While John did hele out each his drap
 O’ eäle or cider, in his lap
  Where he did keep the flagon.

Woone day there spun a whirlwind by
Where Jenny’s clothes wer out to dry;
An’ off vled frocks, a’most a-catch’d
By smock-frocks wi’ their sleeves outstratch’d,
An’ caps a-frill’d an’ eäperns patch’d;
 An’ she a-steärèn in a fright,
 Wer glad enough to zee em light
  Where we did keep our flagon.

An’ when white clover wer a-sprung
Among the eegrass, green an’ young,
An’ elder-flowers wer a-spread
Among the rwosen white an’ red,
An’ honeyzucks wi’ hangèn head,—
 O’ Zunday evenèns we did zit
 To look all roun’ the grounds a bit,
  Where we’d a-kept our flagon.

1. Second Collection. Light or Sheäde
2. Third Collection. Shaftesbury Feäir
3. Second Collection. The Waggon a-stooded
4. Third Collection. Comen Hwome
5. Third Collection. The Neäme Letters

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