The Woodlands

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O spread ageän your leaves an' flow'rs,
  Lwonesome woodlands! zunny woodlands!
  Here underneath the dewy show'rs
  O' warm-aïr'd spring-time, zunny woodlands!
  As when, in drong or open ground,
  Wi' happy bwoyish heart I vound
  The twitt'rèn birds a-buildèn round
  Your high-bough'd hedges, zunny woodlands.

  You gie'd me life, you gie'd me jaÿ,
  Lwonesome woodlands! zunny woodlands
  You gie'd me health, as in my plaÿ
  I rambled through ye, zunny woodlands!
  You gie'd me freedom, vor to rove
  In aïry meäd or sheädy grove;
  You gie'd me smilèn Fannèy's love,
  The best ov all o't, zunny woodlands!

  My vu'st shrill skylark whiver'd high,
  Lwonesome woodlands! zunny woodlands!
  To zing below your deep-blue sky
  An' white spring-clouds, O zunny woodlands!
  An' boughs o' trees that woonce stood here,
  Wer glossy green the happy year
  That gie'd me woone I lov'd so dear,
  An' now ha' lost, O zunny woodlands!

  O let me rove ageän unspied,
  Lwonesome woodlands! zunny woodlands!
  Along your green-bough'd hedges' zide,
  As then I rambled, zunny woodlands!
  An' where the missèn trees woonce stood,
  Or tongues woonce rung among the wood,
  My memory shall meäke em good,
  Though you've a-lost em, zunny woodlands!

© William Barnes