Poems of Rural Life in the Dorset Dialect/The Raïlroad (1)

by William Barnes

THE RAILROAD.

I took a flight, awhile agoo,
Along the raïls, a stage or two,
An’ while the heavy wheels did spin
An’ rottle, wi’ a deafnèn din,
In clouds o’ steam, the zweepèn traïn
Did shoot along the hill-bound plaïn,
As sheädes o’ birds in flight, do pass
Below em on the zunny grass.
An’ as I zot, an’ look’d abrode
On leänen land an’ windèn road,
The ground a-spread along our flight
Did vlee behind us out o’ zight;
The while the zun, our heav’nly guide,
Did ride on wi’ us, zide by zide.
An’ zoo, while time, vrom stage to stage,
Do car us on vrom youth to age,
The e’thly pleasures we do vind
Be soon a-met, an’ left behind;
But God, beholdèn vrom above
Our lowly road, wi’ yearnèn love,
Do keep bezide us, stage by stage,
Vrom be’th to youth, vrom youth to age.