AFTER many long years had a-run,

The while I wer a-gone vrom the pleäce,

I come back to the vields, where the zun

Ov her childhood did show me her feäce.

There her father, years wolder, did stoop. older

An’ her brother, wer now a-grow'd staïd, mature

An’ the apple tree lower did droop.

Out in the orcha'd where we had a-plaÿ'd,

There wer zome things a-seemèn the seäme,

But Meäry's a-married awaÿ.

There wer two little childern a-zent,

Wi’ a message to me, oh! so feäir

As the mother that they did zoo ment, so take after

When in childhood she plaÿ'd wi’ me there.

Zoo they twold me that if I would come so

Down to Coomb, I should zee a wold friend, old

Vor a plaÿmeäte o’ mine wer at hwome,

An’ would staÿ till another week's end.

At the dear pworchèd door, could I dare

To zee Meäry a-married awaÿ!

On the flower-not, now all a-trod flower-bed

Stwony hard, the green grass wer a-spread,

An’ the long-slighted woodbine did nod

Vrom the wall, wi’ a loose-hangèn head.

An’ the martin's clay nest wer a-hung

Up below the brown oves, in the dry, eaves

An’ the rooks had a-rock'd broods o’ young

On the elems below the Maÿ sky;

But the bud on the bed, coulden bide,

Wi’ young Meäry a-married awaÿ.

There the copse-wood, a-grow'd to a height,

Wer a-vell'd, an’ the primrwose in blooth, bloom

Among chips on the ground a-turn'd white,

Wer a-quiv'rèn, all beäre ov his lewth. bare, shelter

The green moss wer a-spread on the thatch,

That I left yollow reed, an’ avore

The small green, there did swing a new hatch, wicket-gate

Vor to let me walk into the door.

Oh! the rook did still rock o'er the rick,

But wi’ Meäry a-married awaÿ.