BROOKWELL.

Well, I do zay 'tis wo'th woone's while

To beät the doust a good six mile

To zee the pleäce the squier plann'd

At Brookwell, now a-meäde by hand;

Wi' oben lawn, an' grove, an' pon',

An' gravel-walks as cleän as bron;

An' grass a'most so soft to tread

As velvet-pile o' silken thread;

An' mounds wi' mæsh, an' rocks wi' flow'rs,

An' ivy-sheäded zummer bow'rs,

An' dribblèn water down below

The stwonèn archès lofty bow.

An' there do sound the watervall

Below a cavern's maeshy wall,

Where peäle-green light do struggle down

A leafy crevice at the crown.

An' there do gush the foamy bow

O' water, white as driven snow:

An' there, a zittèn all alwone,

A little maïd o' marble stwone

Do leän her little cheäk azide

Upon her lily han', an' bide

Bezide the vallèn stream to zee

Her pitcher vill'd avore her knee.

An' then the brook, a-rollèn dark

Below a leänèn yew-tree's bark,

Wi' plaÿsome ripples that do run

A-flashèn to the western zun,

Do shoot, at last, wi' foamy shocks,

Athirt a ledge o' craggy rocks,

A-castèn in his heästy flight,

Upon the stwones a robe o' white;

An' then ageän do goo an' vall

Below a bridge's archèd wall,

Where vo'k agwaïn athirt do pass

Vow'r little bwoys a-cast in brass;

An' woone do hold an angler's wand,

Wi' steady hand, above the pond;

An' woone, a-pweïntèn to the stream

His little vinger-tip, do seem

A-showèn to his playmeätes' eyes,

Where he do zee the vishes rise;

An' woone ageän, wi' smilèn lips,

Do put a vish his han' do clips

'Ithin a basket, loosely tied

About his shoulder at his zide:

An' after that the fourth do stand

A-holdèn back his pretty hand

Behind his little ear, to drow

A stwone upon the stream below.

An' then the housèn, that be all

Sich pretty hwomes, vrom big to small,

A-lookèn south, do cluster round

A zunny ledge o' risèn ground,

Avore a wood, a-nestled warm,

In lewth ageän the northern storm,

Where smoke, a-wreathèn blue, do spread

Above the tuns o' dusky red,

An' window-peänes do glitter bright

Wi' burnèn streams o' zummer light,

Below the vine, a-traïn'd to hem

Their zides 'ithin his leafy stem,

An' rangle on, wi' flutt'rèn leaves,

Below the houses' thatchen eaves.

An' drough a lawn a-spread avore

The windows, an' the pworchèd door,

A path do wind 'ithin a hatch,

A-vastèn'd wi' a clickèn latch,

An' there up over ruf an' tun,

Do stan' the smooth-wall'd church o' stwone,

Wi' carvèd windows, thin an' tall,

A-reachèn up the lofty wall;

An' battlements, a-stannèn round

The tower, ninety veet vrom ground,

Vrom where a teäp'rèn speer do spring

So high's the mornèn lark do zing.

Zoo I do zay 'tis wo'th woone's while

To beät the doust a good six mile,

To zee the pleäce the squier plann'd

At Brookwell, now a-meäde by hand.

Poems of Rural Life in the Dorset Dialect · 第 341 / 587 题