The early poems of John Clare 1804-1822: General editor Eric Robinson: Edited by Eric Robinson and David Powell: Associate editor Margaret Grainger |
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DOLLYS MISTAKE OR WAYS OF THE WAKE |
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 | The early poems of John Clare |  |
532
DOLLYS MISTAKE OR WAYS OF THE WAKE
Ere the sun oer the hills round & red 'gan a peeping
To beckon the chaps to their ploughs
Too thinking & restless all night to be sleeping
I brusht off to milking my Cows
To get my jobs forward—& eager preparing
To be off in times to the Wake
Where yielding so freely—a kiss for a fairing
I kickt up a shocking mistake
To beckon the chaps to their ploughs
Too thinking & restless all night to be sleeping
I brusht off to milking my Cows
To get my jobs forward—& eager preparing
To be off in times to the Wake
Where yielding so freely—a kiss for a fairing
I kickt up a shocking mistake
Young Ralph met me early & off we wer' steering
I cuddl'd me close to his side
& neighbours while passing my fondness kept jeering
‘Young ralphs timely suited’ they cried
But he bid me mind not their evil pretentions
‘Fools mun’ says he ‘talk for talks sake’
‘&’—(kissing me)—‘Doll if youve ony 'prehensions
‘Let me tell ye my wench you mistake’
I cuddl'd me close to his side
& neighbours while passing my fondness kept jeering
‘Young ralphs timely suited’ they cried
But he bid me mind not their evil pretentions
‘Fools mun’ says he ‘talk for talks sake’
‘&’—(kissing me)—‘Doll if youve ony 'prehensions
‘Let me tell ye my wench you mistake’
The Eve fore the fair when he met me to parley
& help find my buckets & yokes
I well do remember while crossing the barley
Tother night fore titheing the shokes
That as clouds hung the sun like to heavens blue curtain
Ah hadnt he grievd for my sake
But alas while he peard beforehand so heartfully certain
I little smelt out the mistake
& help find my buckets & yokes
I well do remember while crossing the barley
Tother night fore titheing the shokes
That as clouds hung the sun like to heavens blue curtain
Ah hadnt he grievd for my sake
But alas while he peard beforehand so heartfully certain
I little smelt out the mistake
533
My cows when we passd em kept tooing & froeing
Indeed & truth ont they made me be ware
As much as to say well I should now be agoing
Mind how you get on at the fair
Claimd farwel Good Speed from each gazing beholder
Good journey away to the wake
The mowers stopd whetting to look oer their shoulder
Saying Dolly dont make a mistake
Indeed & truth ont they made me be ware
As much as to say well I should now be agoing
Mind how you get on at the fair
Claimd farwel Good Speed from each gazing beholder
Good journey away to the wake
The mowers stopd whetting to look oer their shoulder
Saying Dolly dont make a mistake
I couldnt but mind it the morn was so charming
The dewdrops they glittered like glass
& all oer the lawns where the butter cups swarming
Like so many suns in the grass
I thought as we passd them how such things coud be
What a fine string of beads they would make
But when I was thinking how such beauties shoud be
I was Innoscent of the mistake
The dewdrops they glittered like glass
& all oer the lawns where the butter cups swarming
Like so many suns in the grass
I thought as we passd them how such things coud be
What a fine string of beads they would make
But when I was thinking how such beauties shoud be
I was Innoscent of the mistake
So on his arm huging wi' storys beguiling
Of what he wou'd buy me when there,
(The road cutting short wi' his kissing & smiling)
He weigl'd me off to the fair
Sich presents he proffer'd before I could claim 'em
To keep while I liv'd for his sake
& what I lik'd best oer & oer beg'd me name it
As he mightn't go make a Mistake
Of what he wou'd buy me when there,
(The road cutting short wi' his kissing & smiling)
He weigl'd me off to the fair
Sich presents he proffer'd before I could claim 'em
To keep while I liv'd for his sake
& what I lik'd best oer & oer beg'd me name it
As he mightn't go make a Mistake
& lud what a crushing & crouding wer' wi' them
What noisies is heard at a fair
Heres some sells so cheap as they'd even go gi' them
If consience wou'd take they declare
Somes so good tis een worth more then money to buy 'em
Fine ginger bread nuts & plumb cakes
For truth they bid Ralph ere he treated me try 'em
& then there could be no mistakes
What noisies is heard at a fair
Heres some sells so cheap as they'd even go gi' them
If consience wou'd take they declare
534
Fine ginger bread nuts & plumb cakes
For truth they bid Ralph ere he treated me try 'em
& then there could be no mistakes
& sly merry Andrew wer' making his speeches
Wi chaps & girls round him a swarm
‘& mind’ said he fleering ‘ye chubby fac'd bitches
Your fairing dont do you no harm
The hay cocks he nam'd in the meads passing by 'em
When weary we came from the Wake
So soft so inviting for rest we mun try 'em
What a fool shou'd I be to mistake
Wi chaps & girls round him a swarm
‘& mind’ said he fleering ‘ye chubby fac'd bitches
Your fairing dont do you no harm
The hay cocks he nam'd in the meads passing by 'em
When weary we came from the Wake
So soft so inviting for rest we mun try 'em
What a fool shou'd I be to mistake
But promis'd so faith full—behaviour so cleaver
Sich gifts as he cram'bd i' me' hand
How cou'd one distrust of his goodness o never
& who could his goodness wi' stand
His Ribbons his fairings past counting or nearly
Some return when he prest me to make—
Good manners mun give—while he lov'd me so dearly
Ah where cou'd I see the mistake
Sich gifts as he cram'bd i' me' hand
How cou'd one distrust of his goodness o never
& who could his goodness wi' stand
His Ribbons his fairings past counting or nearly
Some return when he prest me to make—
Good manners mun give—while he lov'd me so dearly
Ah where cou'd I see the mistake
Till dark night he kept me wi fussing & lying
How he'd see me safe home to my cot
Poor maidens so easy & free in complying
I the show mans good caution forgot
All bye ways he led me twas vain to dispute it
The moon blusht for shame nasty rake
Behind a cloud sneaking—but darkness well suited
His baseness to cause the mistake
How he'd see me safe home to my cot
Poor maidens so easy & free in complying
I the show mans good caution forgot
All bye ways he led me twas vain to dispute it
The moon blusht for shame nasty rake
Behind a cloud sneaking—but darkness well suited
His baseness to cause the mistake
& vain do I beg him to wed & adone wi' t
So fair as he promis'd we shou'd
We coudnt do worse then how we begun wi' t
Let matters turn out as they wou'd
But he's al'as talking 'bout wedding expences
& the wages he gotten to take
Too plain can I see in his Evil pretences
Too late I find out the mistake
So fair as he promis'd we shou'd
We coudnt do worse then how we begun wi' t
Let matters turn out as they wou'd
535
& the wages he gotten to take
Too plain can I see in his Evil pretences
Too late I find out the mistake
O what mun I do wi' m' mothers reprovin'
Sin' she will do nothing but chide
For when old transgressers ha' bin i' the oven
They know where the young on's may hide
In vain I seek pity wi' 'plaints & despairings
Al'ays dung o'th' nose wi' the Wake
Young maidens be cautious who gi's ye y'r fairings
Ye see what attends a Mistake
Sin' she will do nothing but chide
For when old transgressers ha' bin i' the oven
They know where the young on's may hide
In vain I seek pity wi' 'plaints & despairings
Al'ays dung o'th' nose wi' the Wake
Young maidens be cautious who gi's ye y'r fairings
Ye see what attends a Mistake
| The early poems of John Clare | |