Where We Did Keep Our Flagon

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When we in mornèn had a-drow'd
  The grass or russlèn haÿ abrode,
  The lit'some maïdens an' the chaps,
  Wi' bits o' nunchèns in their laps,
  Did all zit down upon the knaps
  Up there, in under hedge, below
  The highest elem o' the row,
  Where we did keep our flagon.

  There we could zee green vields at hand,
  Avore a hunderd on beyand,
  An' rows o' trees in hedges roun'
  Green meäds, an' zummerleäzes brown,
  An' thorns upon the zunny down,
  While aïer, vrom the rockèn zedge
  In brook, did come along the hedge,
  Where we did keep our flagon.

  There laughèn chaps did try in plaÿ
  To bury maïdens up in haÿ,
  As gigglèn maïdens tried to roll
  The chaps down into zome deep hole,
  Or sting wi' nettles woone o'm's poll;
  While John did hele out each his drap
  O' eäle or cider, in his lap
  Where he did keep the flagon.

  Woone day there spun a whirlwind by
  Where Jenny's clothes wer out to dry;
  An' off vled frocks, a'most a-catch'd
  By smock-frocks wi' their sleeves outstratch'd,
  An' caps a-frill'd an' eäperns patch'd;
  An' she a-steärèn in a fright,
  Wer glad enough to zee em light
  Where we did keep our flagon.

  An' when white clover wer a-sprung
  Among the eegrass, green an' young,
  An' elder-flowers wer a-spread
  Among the rwosen white an' red,
  An' honeyzucks wi' hangèn head,--
  O' Zunday evenèns we did zit
  To look all roun' the grounds a bit,
  Where we'd a-kept our flagon.

© William Barnes