Poem by William Barnes

Second Collection. The Lovely Maïd ov Elwell Meäd

A maïd wi’ many gifts o’ greäce,
A maïd wi’ ever-smilèn feäce,
A child o’ yours my chilhood’s pleäce,
 O leänèn lawns ov Allen;
’S a-walkèn where your stream do flow,
A-blushèn where your flowers do blow,
A-smilèn where your zun do glow,
 O leänèn lawns ov Allen.
  An’ good, however good’s a-waïgh’d,
  ’S the lovely maïd ov Elwell Meäd.

An’ oh! if I could teäme an’ guide
The winds above the e’th, an’ ride
As light as shootèn stars do glide,
 O leänèn lawns ov Allen,
To you I’d teäke my daily flight,
Drough dark’nèn aïr in evenèn’s light,
An’ bid her every night “Good night,”
 O leänèn lawns ov Allen.
  Vor good, however good’s a-waïgh’d,
  ’S the lovely maïd ov Elwell Meäd.

An’ when your hedges’ slooes be blue,
By blackberries o’ dark’nèn hue,
An’ spiders’ webs behung wi’ dew,
 O leänèn lawns ov Allen,
Avore the winter aïr’s a-chill’d,
Avore your winter brook’s a-vill’d
Avore your zummer flow’rs be kill’d,
 O leänèn lawns ov Allen;
  I there would meet, in white array’d,
  The lovely maïd ov Elwell Meäd.

For when the zun, as birds do rise,
Do cast their sheädes vrom autum’ skies,
A-sparklèn in her dewy eyes,
 O leänèn lawns ov Allen;
Then all your mossy paths below
The trees, wi’ leaves a-vallèn slow,
Like zinkèn fleäkes o’ yollow snow,
 O leänèn lawns ov Allen.
  Would be mwore teäkèn where they straÿ’d
  The lovely maïd ov Elwell Meäd.

1. Third Collection. Comen Hwome
2. Third Collection. Tweil
3. Second Collection. The Slantèn light o’ Fall
4. Second Collection. The May-tree
5. Third Collection. Shaftesbury Feäir

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