free-verse71 lines
Hay-Meaken. Nunchen Time
by William BarnesA.
Back here, but now, the jobber John
Come by, an' cried, "Well done, zing on,
I thought as I come down the hill,
An' he'rd your zongs a-ring'n sh'ill,
Who woudden like to come, an' fling
A pe'ir o' prongs where you did zing?"
J.
Aye, aye, he woudden vind it pla',
To work all day a-me'k'n hay,
Or pitch'n o't, to e'rms a-spread
By lwoaders, yards above his head,
'T'ud me'ke en wipe his dripp'n brow.
A.
Or else a-re'k'n a'ter plow.
J.
Or work'n, wi' his nimble pick,
A-stiffled wi' the hay, at rick.
A.
Our Company would suit en best,
When we do te'ke our bit o' rest,
At nunch, a-gather'd here below
The she'de the'se wide-bough'd woak do drow,
Where hiss'n froth mid rise, an' float
In horns o' e'le, to wet his droat.
J.
Aye, if his swell'n han' could drag
A meat-slice vrom his dinner bag.
'T'ud me'ke the busy little chap
Look rather glum, to zee his lap
Wi' all his meal ov woone dry crowst,
An' vinny cheese so dry as dowst.
A.
Well, I dont grumble at my food,
'Tis wholesome, John, an' zoo 'tis good.
J.
Whose re'ke is that a-ly'n there?
Do look a bit the woo'se vor wear.
A.
Oh! I mus' get the man to me'ke
A tooth or two vor thik wold re'ke,
'Tis le'bor lost to strike a stroke
Wi' him, wi' ha'f his teeth a-broke.
J.
I should ha' thought your han' too fine
To break your re'ke, if I broke mine.
A.
The ramsclaws thin'd his wooden gum
O' two teeth here, an' here were zome
That broke off when I re'k'd a patch
O' groun' wi' Jimmy, vor a match:
An' here's a gap where woone or two
Wer broke by Simon's clumsy shoe,
An' when I gi'ed his poll a poke,
Vor better luck, another broke.
In what a veag have you a-swung
Your pick, though, John? His stem's a-sprung.
J.
When I an' Simon had a het
O' pook'n, yonder, vor a bet,
The prongs o'n gi'd a tump a poke,
An' then I vound the stem o'n broke,
But they do me'ke the stems o' picks
O' stuff so brittle as a kicks.
A.
There's poor wold Je'ne, wi' wrinkled skin,
A-tell'n, wi' her peak'd chin,
Zome te'le ov her young days, poor soul.
Do me'ke the young-woones smile. 'Tis droll.
What is it? Stop, an' let's goo near.
I do like the'se wold te'les. Let's hear.