Poem by William Barnes

Third Collection. Vields by Watervalls

When our downcast looks be smileless,
 Under others’ wrongs an’ slightèns,
When our daily deeds be guileless,
 An’ do meet unkind requitèns,
You can meäke us zome amends
Vor wrongs o’ foes, an’ slights o’ friends;—
O flow’ry-gleäded, timber-sheäded
Vields by flowèn watervalls!

Here be softest aïrs a-blowèn
 Drough the boughs, wi’ zingèn drushes,
Up above the streams, a-flowèn
 Under willows, on by rushes.
Here below the bright-zunn’d sky
The dew-bespangled flow’rs do dry,
In woody-zided, stream-divided
Vields by flowèn watervalls.

Waters, wi’ their giddy rollèns;
 Breezes wi’ their plaÿsome wooèns;
Here do heal, in soft consolèns,
 Hearts a-wrung wi’ man’s wrong doèns.
Day do come to us as gaÿ
As to a king ov widest swaÿ,
In deäisy-whitèn’d, gil’cup-brightèn’d
Vields by flowèn watervalls.

Zome feäir buds mid outlive blightèns,
 Zome sweet hopes mid outlive sorrow,
After days of wrongs an’ slightèns
 There mid break a happy morrow.
We mid have noo e’thly love;
But God’s love-tokens vrom above
Here mid meet us, here mid greet us,
In the vields by watervalls.

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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