After many long years had a-run,
The while I wer a-gone vrom the pleäce,
I come back to the vields, where the zun
Ov her childhood did show me her feäce.
There her father, years wolder, did stoop.
An' her brother, wer now a-grow'd staïd,
An' the apple tree lower did droop.
Out in the orcha'd where we had a-plaÿ'd,
There wer zome things a-seemèn the seäme,
But Meäry's a-married awaÿ.
There wer two little childern a-zent,
Wi' a message to me, oh! so feaïr
As the mother that they did zoo ment,
When in childhood she plaÿ'd wi' me there.
Zoo they twold me that if I would come
Down to Coomb, I should zee a wold friend,
Vor a plaÿmeäte o' mine wer at hwome,
An' would staÿ till another week's end.
At the dear pworchèd door, could I dare
To zee Meäry a-married awaÿ!
On the flower-not, now all a-trod
Stwony hard, the green grass wer a-spread,
An' the long-slighted woodbine did nod
Vrom the wall, wi' a loose-hangèn head.
An' the martin's clay nest wer a-hung
Up below the brown oves, in the dry,
An' the rooks had a-rock'd broods o' young
On the elems below the Maÿ sky;
But the bud on the bed, coulden bide,
Wi' young Meäry a-married awaÿ.
There the copse-wood, a-grow'd to a height,
Wer a-vell'd, an' the primrwose in blooth,
Among chips on the ground a-turn'd white,
Wer a-quiv'rèn, all beäre ov his lewth.
The green moss wer a-spread on the thatch,
That I left yollow reed, an' avore
The small green, there did swing a new hatch,
Vor to let me walk into the door.
Oh! the rook did still rock o'er the rick,
But wi' Meäry a-married awaÿ.