The Blackbird

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'Twer out at Penley I'd a-past
  A zummer day that went too vast,
  An' when the zettèn zun did spread
  On western clouds a vi'ry red;
  The elems' leafy limbs wer still
  Above the gravel-bedded rill,
  An' under en did warble sh'ill,
  Avore the dusk, the blackbird.

  An' there, in sheädes o' darksome yews,
  Did vlee the maïdens on their tooes,
  A-laughèn sh'ill wi' merry feäce
  When we did vind their hidèn pleäce.
  'Ithin the loose-bough'd ivys gloom,
  Or lofty lilac, vull in bloom,
  Or hazzle-wrides that gi'ed em room
  Below the zingèn blackbird.

  Above our heads the rooks did vlee
  To reach their nested elem-tree,
  An' splashèn vish did rise to catch
  The wheelèn gnots above the hatch;
  An' there the miller went along,
  A-smilèn, up the sheädy drong,
  But yeet too deaf to hear the zong
  A-zung us by the blackbird.

  An' there the sh'illy-bubblèn brook
  Did leäve behind his rocky nook,
  To run drough meäds a-chill'd wi' dew,
  Vrom hour to hour the whole night drough;
  But still his murmurs wer a-drown'd
  By vaïces that mid never sound
  Ageän together on that ground,
  Wi' whislèns o' the blackbird.

© William Barnes