Keepen Up O’ Chris’mas

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An' zoo you didden come athirt,
  To have zome fun last night: how wer't?
  Vor we'd a-work'd wi' all our might
  To scour the iron things up bright,
  An' brush'd an' scrubb'd the house all drough;
  An' brought in vor a brand, a plock
  O' wood so big's an uppèn-stock,
  An' hung a bough o' misseltoo,
  An' ax'd a merry friend or two,
  To keepèn up o' Chris'mas.

  An' there wer wold an' young; an' Bill,
  Soon after dark, stalk'd up vrom mill.
  An' when he wer a-comèn near,
  He whissled loud vor me to hear;
  Then roun' my head my frock I roll'd,
  An' stood in orcha'd like a post,
  To meäke en think I wer a ghost.
  But he wer up to't, an' did scwold
  To vind me stannèn in the cwold,
  A keepèn up o' Chris'mas.

  We plaÿ'd at forfeits, an' we spun
  The trencher roun', an' meäde such fun!
  An' had a geäme o' dree-ceärd loo,
  An' then begun to hunt the shoe.
  An' all the wold vo'k zittèn near,
  A-chattèn roun' the vier pleäce,
  Did smile in woone another's feäce.
  An' sheäke right hands wi' hearty cheer,
  An' let their left hands spill their beer,
  A keepèn up o' Chris'mas.

© William Barnes