dots-menu
×

Home  »  The Oxford Book of English Verse  »  659. The Wife a-lost

Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.

William Barnes. 1801–1886

659. The Wife a-lost

SINCE I noo mwore do zee your feäce, 
  Up steärs or down below, 
I’ll zit me in the lwonesome pleäce, 
  Where flat-bough’d beech do grow; 
Below the beeches’ bough, my love,         5
  Where you did never come, 
An’ I don’t look to meet ye now, 
  As I do look at hwome. 
 
Since you noo mwore be at my zide, 
  In walks in zummer het,  10
I’ll goo alwone where mist do ride, 
  Droo trees a-drippèn wet; 
Below the raïn-wet bough, my love, 
  Where you did never come, 
An’ I don’t grieve to miss ye now,  15
  As I do grieve at hwome. 
 
Since now bezide my dinner-bwoard 
  Your vaïce do never sound, 
I’ll eat the bit I can avword 
  A-vield upon the ground;  20
Below the darksome bough, my love, 
  Where you did never dine, 
An’ I don’t grieve to miss ye now, 
  As I at hwome do pine. 
 
Since I do miss your vaïce an’ feäce  25
  In prayer at eventide, 
I’ll pray wi’ woone sad vaïce vor greäce 
  To goo where you do bide; 
Above the tree an’ bough, my love, 
  Where you be gone avore,  30
An’ be a-waïtèn vor me now, 
  To come vor evermwore.