The Wheel Routs

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'Tis true I brought noo fortune hwome
  Wi' Jenny, vor her honey-moon,
  But still a goodish hansel come
  Behind her perty soon,
  Vor stick, an' dish, an' spoon, all vell
  To Jeäne, vrom Aunt o' Camwy dell.

  Zoo all the lot o' stuff a-tied
  Upon the plow, a tidy tod,
  On gravel-crunchèn wheels did ride,
  Wi' ho'ses, iron-shod,
  That, as their heads did nod, my whip
  Did guide along wi' lightsome flip.

  An' there it rod 'ithin the rwope,
  Astraïn'd athirt, an' straïn'd along,
  Down Thornhay's evenèn-lighted slope
  An' up the beech-tree drong;
  Where wheels a-bound so strong, cut out
  On either zide a deep-zunk rout.

  An' when at Fall the trees wer brown,
  Above the bennet-bearèn land,
  When beech-leaves slowly whiver'd down.
  By evenèn winds a-fann'd;
  The routs wer each a band o' red,
  A-vill'd by drifted beech-leaves dead.

  An' when, in Winter's leafless light,
  The keener eastern wind did blow.
  An' scatter down, avore my zight,
  A chilly cwoat o' snow;
  The routs ageän did show vull bright,
  In two long streaks o' glitt'rèn white.

  But when, upon our weddèn night,
  The cart's light wheels, a-rollèn round,
  Brought Jenny hwome, they run too light
  To mark the yieldèn ground;
  Or welcome would be vound a peäir
  O' green-vill'd routs a-runnèn there.

  Zoo let me never bring 'ithin
  My dwellèn what's a-won by wrong,
  An' can't come in 'ithout a sin;
  Vor only zee how long
  The waggon marks in drong, did show
  Wï' leaves, wi' grass, wi' groun' wi' snow.

© William Barnes