Out At Plough

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Though cool avore the sheenèn sky
  Do vall the sheädes below the copse,
  The timber-trees, a-reachèn high,
  Ha' zunsheen on their lofty tops,
  Where yonder land's a-lyèn plow'd,
  An' red, below the snow-white cloud,
  An' vlocks o' pitchèn rooks do vwold
  Their wings to walk upon the mwold.
  While floods be low,
  An' buds do grow,
  An' aïr do blow, a-broad, O.

  But though the aïr is cwold below
  The creakèn copses' darksome screen,
  The truest sheäde do only show
  How strong the warmer zun do sheen;
  An' even times o' grief an' païn,
  Ha' good a-comèn in their traïn,
  An' 'tis but happiness do mark
  The sheädes o' sorrow out so dark.
  As tweils be sad,
  Or smiles be glad,
  Or times be bad, at hwome, O

  An' there the zunny land do lie
  Below the hangèn, in the lew,
  Wi' vurrows now a-crumblèn dry,
  Below the plowman's dousty shoe;
  An' there the bwoy do whissel sh'ill,
  Below the skylark's merry bill,
  Where primrwose beds do deck the zides
  O' banks below the meäple wrides.
  As trees be bright
  Wi' bees in flight,
  An' weather's bright, abroad, O.

  An' there, as sheenèn wheels do spin
  Vull speed along the dousty rwoad,
  He can but stan', an' wish 'ithin
  His mind to be their happy lwoad,
  That he mid gaïly ride, an' goo
  To towns the rwoad mid teäke en drough,
  An' zee, for woonce, the zights behind
  The bluest hills his eyes can vind,
  O' towns, an' tow'rs,
  An' downs, an' flow'rs,
  In zunny hours, abroad, O.

  But still, vor all the weather's feäir,
  Below a cloudless sky o' blue,
  The bwoy at plough do little ceäre
  How vast the brightest day mid goo;
  Vor he'd be glad to zee the zun
  A-zettèn, wi' his work a-done,
  That he, at hwome, mid still injaÿ
  His happy bit ov evenèn plaÿ,
  So light's a lark
  Till night is dark,
  While dogs do bark, at hwome, O.

© William Barnes