Part 1

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 Yollow 92 Night a-zetten in 93 The Weather-beaeten Tree 94 Shrodon Feaeir:—The vu'st Peaert 95 Shrodon Feaeir:—The rest o't 96 Martin's Tide 97 Guy Faux's Night 99 Eclogue:—The Common a-took in 100 Eclogue:—Two Farms in Woone 102

WINTER.

The Vrost 105 A Bit o' Fun 106 Fanny's Be'th-day 107 What Dick an' I did 109 Grammer's Shoes 111 Zunsheen in the Winter 112 The Weepen Leaedy 113 The Happy Days when I wer Young 115 In the Stillness o' the Night 116 The Settle an' the Girt Wood Vire 117 The Carter 118 Chris'mas Invitation 120 Keepen up o' Chris'mas 121 Zitten out the Wold Year 122 Woak wer Good Enough Woonce 123 Lullaby 124 Meaery-Ann's Child 125 Eclogue:—Father Come Hwome 126 Eclogue:—A Ghost 129

SUNDRY PIECES.

A Zong 133 The Maid vor my Bride 134 The Hwomestead 135 The Farmer's Woldest D[=a]'ter 136 Uncle out o' Debt an' out o' Danger 137 The Church an' Happy Zunday 140 The Wold Waggon 141 The Dreven o' the Common 142 The Common a-took in 143 A Wold Friend 145 The Rwose that Deck'd her Breast 145 Nanny's Cow 147 The Shep'erd Bwoy 148 Hope a-left Behind 149 A Good Father 150 The Beam in Grenley Church 151 The Vaices that be Gone 152 Poll 153 Looks a-know'd Avore 154 The Music o' the Dead 155 The Pleaece a Teaele's a-twold o' 156 Aunt's Tantrums 158 The Stwonen Pworch 159 Farmer's Sons 160 Jeaene 161 The Dree Woaks 162 The Hwomestead a-vell into Hand 164 The Guide Post 166 Gwain to Feaeir 167 Jeaene o' Grenley Mill 168 The Bells ov Alderburnham 169 The Girt Wold House o' Mossy Stwone 170 A Witch 173 Eclogue:—The Times 175

SECOND COLLECTION.

Blackmwore Maidens 185 My Orcha'd in Linden Lea 186 Bishop's Caundle 187 Hay Meaeken—Nunchen Time 189 A Father out an' Mother Hwome 191 Riddles 192 Day's Work a-done 196 Light or Sheaede 197 The Waggon a-stooded 197 Gwain down the Steps 201 Ellen Brine ov Allenburn 202 The Motherless Child 203 The Leaedy's Tower 204 Fatherhood 208 The Maid o' Newton 211 Childhood 212 Meaery's Smile 213 Meaery Wedded 214 The Stwonen Bwoy 215 The Young that died in Beauty 217 Faeir Emily of Yarrow Mill 218 The Scud 219 Minden House 221 The Lovely Maid ov Elwell Meaed 222 Our Fathers' Works 224 The Wold vo'k Dead 225 Culver Dell and the Squire 227 Our Be'thplace 229 The Window freaemed wi' Stwone 230 The Waterspring in the Leaene 231 The Poplars 232 The Linden on the Lawn 233 Our abode in Arby Wood 235 Slow to come, quick agone 236 The Vier-zide 236 Knowlwood 238 Hallowed Pleaeces 240 The Wold Wall 242 Bleaeke's House 243 John Bleaeke at Hwome 245 Milken Time 247 When Birds be Still 248 Riden Hwome at Night 249 Zun-zet. 250 Spring 252 The Zummer Hedge 253 The Water Crowvoot 254 The Lilac 255 The Blackbird 256 The Slanten light o' Fall 257 Thissledown 259 The May-tree 259 The Lydlinch Bells 260 The Stage Coach 261 Wayfeaeren 263 The Leaene 265 The Railroad 267 The Railroad 268 Seats 268 Sound o' Water 270 Trees be Company 270 A Pleaece in Zight 272 Gwain to Brookwell 273 Brookwell 275 The Shy Man 277 The Winter's Willow 279 I know Who 281 Jessie Lee 282 True Love 283 The Beaen-vield 284 Wold Friends a-met 286 Fifehead 288 Ivy Hall 289 False Friends-like 290 The Bachelor 290 Married Peaeir's Love-walk 292 A Wife a-prais'd 293 The Wife a-lost 295 The Thorns in the Geaete 296 Angels by the Door 297 Vo'k a-comen into Church 298 Woone Rule 299 Good Meaester Collins 300 Herrenston 302 Out at Plough 304 The Bwoat 306 The Pleaece our own agean 307 Eclogue:—John an' Thomas 308 Pentridge by the River 310 Wheat 311 The Meaed in June 313 Early risen 315 Zelling woone's Honey 316 Dobbin Dead 317 Happiness 319 Gruffmoody Grim 320 The Turn o' the Days 322 The Sparrow Club 323 Gammony Gay 325 The Heaere 327 Nanny Gill 329 Moonlight on the Door 330 My Love's Guardian Angel 331 Leeburn Mill 332 Praise o' Do'set 333

THIRD COLLECTION.

Woone Smile Mwore 339 The Echo 340 Vull a Man 341 Naighbour Playmeaetes 343 The Lark 345 The Two Churches 345 Woak Hill 347 The Hedger 348 In the Spring 349 The Flood in Spring 350 Comen Hwome 351 Grammer a-crippled 352 The Castle Ruins 354 Eclogue:—John jealous 355 Early Playmeaete 359 Picken o' Scroff 360 Good Night 361 Went Hwome 362 The Hollow Woak 363 Childern's Childern 364 The Rwose in the Dark 365 Come 366 Zummer Winds 367 The Neaeme Letters 368 The New House a-getten Wold 370 Zunday 370 The Pillar'd Geaete 371 Zummer Stream 373 Zummer Stream 373 Linda Deaene 374 Eclogue:—Come an' zee us 376 Lindenore 377 Me'th below the Tree 378 Treat well your Wife 379 The Child an' the Mowers 381 The Love Child 382 Hawthorn Down 383 Oben Vields 385 What John wer a-tellen 386 Sheaedes 387 Times o' Year 387 Eclogue:—Racketen Joe 388 Zummer an' Winter 391 To Me 392 Two an' Two 393 The Lew o' the Rick 394 The Wind in Woone's Feaece 395 Tokens 396 Tweil 396 Fancy 398 The Broken Heart 399 Evenen Light 400 Vields by Watervalls 401 The Wheel Routs 402 Nanny's new Abode 403 Leaves a-vallen 404 Lizzie 405 Blessens a-left 406 Fall Time 407 Fall 408 The Zilver-weed 409 The Widow's House 409 The Child's Greaeve 410 Went vrom Hwome 412 The Fancy Feaeir 412 Things do Come Round 414 Zummer Thoughts in Winter Time 415 I'm out o' Door 416 Grief an' Gladness 417 Sliden 418 Lwonesomeness 420 A Snowy Night 421 The Year-clock 421 Not goo Hwome To-night 424 The Humstrum 426 Shaftesbury Feaeir 427 The Beaeten Path 429 Ruth a-riden 430 Beauty Undecked 432 My love is good 432 Heedless o' my love 434 The Do'set Militia 435 A Do'set Sale 437 Don't ceaere 437 Changes 439 Kindness 440 Withstanders 441 Daniel Dwithen 442 Turnen things off 444 The Giants in Treaedes 445 The Little Worold 447 Bad News 448 The Turnstile 449 The Better vor zeen o' you 450 Pity 451 John Bloom in Lon'on 453 A Lot o' Maidens 456

POEMS OF RURAL LIFE.

FIRST COLLECTION.

SPRING.

THE SPRING.

When wintry weather's all a-done, An' brooks do sparkle in the zun, An' naisy-builden rooks do vlee Wi' sticks toward their elem tree; When birds do zing, an' we can zee Upon the boughs the buds o' spring,— Then I'm as happy as a king, A-vield wi' health an' zunsheen.

Vor then the cowslip's hangen flow'r A-wetted in the zunny show'r, Do grow wi' vi'lets, sweet o' smell, Bezide the wood-screen'd graegle's bell; Where drushes' aggs, wi' sky-blue shell, Do lie in mossy nest among The thorns, while they do zing their zong At evenen in the zunsheen.

An' God do meaeke his win' to blow An' rain to vall vor high an' low, An' bid his mornen zun to rise Vor all alike, an' groun' an' skies Ha' colors vor the poor man's eyes: An' in our trials He is near, To hear our mwoan an' zee our tear, An' turn our clouds to zunsheen.

An' many times when I do vind Things all goo wrong, an' vo'k unkind, To zee the happy veeden herds, An' hear the zingen o' the birds, Do soothe my sorrow mwore than words; Vor I do zee that 'tis our sin Do meaeke woone's soul so dark 'ithin, When God would gi'e woone zunsheen.

THE WOODLANDS.

O spread ageaen your leaves an' flow'rs, Lwonesome woodlands! zunny woodlands! Here underneath the dewy show'rs O' warm-air'd spring-time, zunny woodlands! As when, in drong or open ground, Wi' happy bwoyish heart I vound The twitt'ren birds a-builden round Your high-bough'd hedges, zunny woodlands.

You gie'd me life, you gie'd me jay, Lwonesome woodlands! zunny woodlands You gie'd me health, as in my play I rambled through ye, zunny woodlands! You gie'd me freedom, vor to rove In airy meaed or sheaedy grove; You gie'd me smilen Fanney's love, The best ov all o't, zunny woodlands!

My vu'st shrill skylark whiver'd high, Lwonesome woodlands! zunny woodlands! To zing below your deep-blue sky An' white spring-clouds, O zunny woodlands! An' boughs o' trees that woonce stood here, Wer glossy green the happy year That gie'd me woone I lov'd so dear, An' now ha' lost, O zunny woodlands!

O let me rove ageaen unspied, Lwonesome woodlands! zunny woodlands! Along your green-bough'd hedges' zide, As then I rambled, zunny woodlands! An' where the missen trees woonce stood, Or tongues woonce rung among the wood, My memory shall meaeke em good, Though you've a-lost em, zunny woodlands!

LEADY-DAY, AN' RIDDEN HOUSE.

Aye, back at Leaedy-Day, you know, I come vrom Gullybrook to Stowe; At Leaedy-Day I took my pack O' rottletraps, an' turn'd my back Upon the weather-beaeten door, That had a-screen'd, so long avore, The mwost that theaese zide o' the greaeve, I'd live to have, or die to seaeve! My childern, an' my vier-pleaece, Where Molly wi' her cheerful feaece, When I'd a-trod my wat'ry road Vrom night-bedarken'd vields abrode, Wi' nimble hands, at evenen, blest Wi' vire an' vood my hard-won rest; The while the little woones did clim', So sleek-skinn'd, up from lim' to lim', Till, strugglen hard an' clingen tight, They reach'd at last my feaece's height. All tryen which could soonest hold My mind wi' little teaeles they twold. An' ridden house is such a caddle, I shan't be over keen vor mwore [=o]'t, Not yet a while, you mid be sure [=o]'t,— I'd rather keep to woone wold staddle.

Well, zoo, avore the east begun To redden wi' the comen zun, We left the beds our mossy thatch Wer never mwore to overstratch, An' borrow'd uncle's wold hoss Dragon, To bring the slowly lumbren waggon, An' when he come, we vell a-packen The bedsteads, wi' their rwopes an' zacken; An' then put up the wold eaerm-chair, An' cwoffer vull ov e'then-ware, An' vier-dogs, an' copper kittle, Wi' crocks an' saucepans, big an' little; An' fryen-pan, vor aggs to slide In butter round his hissen zide, An' gridire's even bars, to bear The drippen steaeke above the gleaere O' brightly-glowen coals. An' then, All up o' top o' them ageaen The woaken bwoard, where we did eat Our croust o' bread or bit o' meat,— An' when the bwoard wer up, we tied Upon the reaeves, along the zide, The woaeken stools, his glossy meaetes, Bwoth when he's beaere, or when the pleaetes Do clatter loud wi' knives, below Our merry feaeces in a row. An' put between his lags, turn'd up'ard, The zalt-box an' the corner cupb'ard. An' then we laid the wold clock-ceaese, All dumb, athirt upon his feaece, Vor we'd a-left, I needen tell ye, Noo works 'ithin his head or belly. An' then we put upon the pack The settle, flat upon his back; An' after that, a-tied in pairs In woone another, all the chairs, An' bits o' lumber wo'th a ride, An' at the very top a-tied, The childern's little stools did lie, Wi' lags a-turn'd toward the sky: Zoo there we lwoaded up our scroff, An' tied it vast, an' started off. An',—as the waggon cooden car all We had to teaeke,—the butter-barrel An' cheese-wring, wi' his twinen screw, An' all the pails an' veaets, an' blue Wold milk leads, and a vew things mwore, Wer all a-carr'd the day avore, And when the mwost ov our wold stuff Wer brought outside o' thik brown ruf, I rambled roun' wi' narrow looks, In fusty holes an' darksome nooks, To gather all I still mid vind, O' rags or sticks a-left behind. An' there the unlatch'd doors did creak, A-swung by winds, a-streamen weak Drough empty rooms, an' meaeken sad My heart, where me'th woonce meaede me glad. Vor when a man do leaeve the he'th An' ruf where vu'st he drew his breath, Or where he had his bwoyhood's fun, An' things wer woonce a-zaid an' done That took his mind, do touch his heart A little bit, I'll answer vor't. Zoo ridden house is such a caddle, That I would rather keep my staddle.

EASTER ZUNDAY.

Last Easter Jim put on his blue Frock cwoat, the vu'st time—vier new; Wi' yollow buttons all o' brass, That glitter'd in the zun lik' glass; An' pok'd 'ithin the button-hole A tutty he'd a-begg'd or stole. A span-new wes'co't, too, he wore, Wi' yollow stripes all down avore; An' tied his breeches' lags below The knee, wi' ribbon in a bow; An' drow'd his kitty-boots azide, An' put his laggens on, an' tied His shoes wi' strings two vingers wide, Because 'twer Easter Zunday.

An' after mornen church wer out He come back hwome, an' stroll'd about All down the vields, an' drough the leaene, Wi' sister Kit an' cousin Jeaene, A-turnen proudly to their view His yollow breast an' back o' blue. The lambs did play, the grounds wer green, The trees did bud, the zun did sheen; The lark did zing below the sky, An' roads wer all a-blown so dry, As if the zummer wer begun; An' he had sich a bit o' fun! He meaede the maidens squeael an' run, Because 'twer Easter Zunday.

EASTER MONDAY.

An' zoo o' Monday we got drough Our work betimes, an ax'd a vew Young vo'k vrom Stowe an' Coom, an' zome Vrom uncle's down at Grange, to come. An' they so spry, wi' merry smiles, Did beaet the path an' leaep the stiles, Wi' two or dree young chaps bezide, To meet an' keep up Easter tide: Vor we'd a-zaid avore, we'd git Zome friends to come, an' have a bit O' fun wi' me, an' Jeaene, an' Kit, Because 'twer Easter Monday.

An' there we play'd away at quaits, An' weigh'd ourzelves wi' sceaeles an' waights; An' jump'd to zee who jump'd the spryest, An' sprung the vurdest an' the highest; An' rung the bells vor vull an hour. An' play'd at vives ageaen the tower. An' then we went an' had a tait, An' cousin Sammy, wi' his waight, Broke off the bar, he wer so fat! An' toppled off, an' vell down flat Upon his head, an' squot his hat, Because 'twer Easter Monday.

DOCK-LEAVES.

The dock-leaves that do spread so wide Up yonder zunny bank's green zide, Do bring to mind what we did do At play wi' dock-leaves years agoo: How we,—when nettles had a-stung Our little hands, when we wer young,— Did rub em wi' a dock, an' zing "Out nettl', in dock. In dock, out sting." An' when your feaece, in zummer's het, Did sheen wi' tricklen draps o' zweat, How you, a-zot bezide the bank, Didst toss your little head, an' pank, An' teaeke a dock-leaf in your han', An' whisk en lik' a leaedy's fan; While I did hunt, 'ithin your zight, Vor streaky cockle-shells to fight.

In all our play-geaemes we did bruise The dock-leaves wi' our nimble shoes; Bwoth where we merry chaps did fling You maidens in the orcha'd swing, An' by the zaw-pit's dousty bank, Where we did tait upon a plank. —(D'ye mind how woonce, you cou'den zit The bwoard, an' vell off into pit?) An' when we hunted you about The grassy barken, in an' out Among the ricks, your vlee-en frocks An' nimble veet did strik' the docks. An' zoo they docks, a-spread so wide Up yonder zunny bank's green zide, Do bring to mind what we did do, Among the dock-leaves years agoo.

THE BLACKBIRD.

Ov all the birds upon the wing Between the zunny show'rs o' spring,— Vor all the lark, a-swingen high, Mid zing below a cloudless sky. An' sparrows, clust'ren roun' the bough, Mid chatter to the men at plough,— The blackbird, whisslen in among The boughs, do zing the gayest zong.

Vor we do hear the blackbird zing His sweetest ditties in the spring, When nippen win's noo mwore do blow Vrom northern skies, wi' sleet or snow, But dr[=e]ve light doust along between The leaene-zide hedges, thick an' green; An' zoo the blackbird in among The boughs do zing the gayest zong.

'Tis blithe, wi' newly-open'd eyes, To zee the mornen's ruddy skies; Or, out a-haulen frith or lops Vrom new-pl[=e]sh'd hedge or new-vell'd copse, To rest at noon in primrwose beds Below the white-bark'd woak-trees' heads; But there's noo time, the whole daey long, Lik' evenen wi' the blackbird's zong.

Vor when my work is all a-done Avore the zetten o' the zun, Then blushen Jeaene do walk along The hedge to meet me in the drong, An' stay till all is dim an' dark Bezides the ashen tree's white bark; An' all bezides the blackbird's shrill An' runnen evenen-whissle's still.

An' there in bwoyhood I did rove Wi' pryen eyes along the drove To vind the nest the blackbird meaede O' grass-stalks in the high bough's sheaede: Or clim' aloft, wi' clingen knees, Vor crows' aggs up in swayen trees, While frighten'd blackbirds down below Did chatter o' their little foe. An' zoo there's noo pleaece lik' the drong, Where I do hear the blackbird's zong.

WOODCOM' FEAST.

Come, Fanny, come! put on thy white, 'Tis Woodcom' feaest, good now! to-night. Come! think noo mwore, you silly maid, O' chicken drown'd, or ducks a-stray'd; Nor mwope to vind thy new frock's tail A-tore by hitchen in a nail; Nor grieve an' hang thy head azide, A-thinken o' thy lam' that died. The flag's a-vleen wide an' high, An' ringen bells do sheaeke the sky; The fifes do play, the horns do roar, An' boughs be up at ev'ry door: They 'll be a-dancen soon,—the drum 'S a-rumblen now. Come, Fanny, come! Why father's gone, an' mother too. They went up leaene an hour agoo; An' at the green the young and wold Do stan' so thick as sheep in vwold: The men do laugh, the bwoys do shout,— Come out you mwopen wench, come out, An' go wi' me, an' show at leaest Bright eyes an' smiles at Woodcom' feaest.