Poems of Rural Life in the Dorset Dialect by William Barnes. First Collection. Fourth Edition |
 |
|
THE MILK-MAID O' THE FARM. |
 |
|
|
|
 | Poems of Rural Life in the Dorset Dialect |  |
THE MILK-MAID O' THE FARM.
I be the milk-maid o' the farm:
I be so happy out in groun',
Wi' my white milk-païl in my eärm,
As if I wore a goolden crown.
I be so happy out in groun',
Wi' my white milk-païl in my eärm,
As if I wore a goolden crown.
14
An' I don't zit up half the night,
Nor lie vor half the day a-bed:
An' that's how 'tis my eyes be bright,
An' why my cheäks be always red.
Nor lie vor half the day a-bed:
An' that's how 'tis my eyes be bright,
An' why my cheäks be always red.
In zummer mornèns, when the lark,
Do rouse the eärly lad an' lass
To work, I be the vu'st to mark
My steps upon the dewy grass.
Do rouse the eärly lad an' lass
To work, I be the vu'st to mark
My steps upon the dewy grass.
An' in the evenèn, when the zun
Do sheen upon the western brows
O' hills, where bubblèn brooks do run,
There I do zing an' milk my cows.
Do sheen upon the western brows
O' hills, where bubblèn brooks do run,
There I do zing an' milk my cows.
An' ev'ry cow do stan' wi' I,
An' never move, nor kick my païl,
Nor bleäre at tother cows, nor try
To hook, or switch me wi' her taïl.
An' never move, nor kick my païl,
Nor bleäre at tother cows, nor try
To hook, or switch me wi' her taïl.
Noo leädy wi' her muff an' vaïl
Do walk wi' sich a steätely tread
As I do wi' my milkèn païl,
A-balanc'd up upon my head.
Do walk wi' sich a steätely tread
As I do wi' my milkèn païl,
A-balanc'd up upon my head.
An' I at mornèn an' at night
Do skim the yoller cream, an' mould
An' press my cheeses, red an' white,
An' zee the butter vetch'd an' roll'd.
Do skim the yoller cream, an' mould
An' press my cheeses, red an' white,
An' zee the butter vetch'd an' roll'd.
An' Thomas shan't be call'd the wo'st
Young man alive, vor he do try
To milk roun' all his own cows vu'st,
An' then to come an' milk vor I.
Young man alive, vor he do try
To milk roun' all his own cows vu'st,
An' then to come an' milk vor I.
15
I be the milk-maïd o' the farm:
I be so happy out in groun',
Wi' my white milk-païl in my eärm
As if I wore a goolden crown.
I be so happy out in groun',
Wi' my white milk-païl in my eärm
As if I wore a goolden crown.
| Poems of Rural Life in the Dorset Dialect | |