Poems of Rural Life in the Dorset Dialect/A Good Father

by William Barnes

A GOOD FATHER.

No; mind thy father. When his tongue
 Is keen, he’s still thy friend, John,
Vor wolder vo’k should warn the young
 How wickedness will end, John;
An’ he do know a wicked youth
 Would be thy manhood’s beäne,
An’ zoo would bring thee back ageän
 ’Ithin the ways o’ truth.

An’ mind en still when in the end
 His leäbour’s all a-done, John,
An’ let en vind a steadvast friend
 In thee his thoughtvul son, John;
Vor he did win what thou didst lack
 Avore couldst work or stand,
 An’ zoo, when time do num’ his hand,
  Then paÿ his leäbour back.

An’ when his bwones be in the dust,
 Then honour still his neäme, John;
An’ as his godly soul wer just,
 Let thine be voun’ the seäme, John.
Be true, as he wer true, to men,
 An’ love the laws o’ God;
 Still tread the road that he’ve a-trod,
  An’ live wi’ him ageän.