AH! Jeäne, my maïd, I stood to you, daughter

When you wer christen'd, small an’ light,

Wi’ tiny eärms o’ red an’ blue, arms

A-hangèn in your robe o’ white.

We brought ye to the hallow'd stwone,

Vor Christ to teäke ye vor his own,

When harvest work wer all a-done,

An’ time brought round October zun—

The slantèn light o’ Fall.

An’ I can mind the wind wer rough, remember

An’ gather'd clouds, but brought noo storms,

An’ you did nessle warm enough,

'Ithin your smilèn mother's eärms. arms

The whindlèn grass did quiver light, fragile

Among the stubble, feäded white,

An’ if at times the zunlight broke

Upon the ground, or on the vo'k, folk

'Twer slantèn light o’ Fall.

An’ when we brought ye drough the door through

O’ Knapton Church, a child o’ greäce,

There cluster'd round a'most a score

O’ vo'k to zee your tiny feäce.

An’ there we all did veel so proud,

To zee an’ op'nèn in the cloud,

An’ then a stream o’ light break drough,

A-sheenèn brightly down on you— shining

The slantèn light o’ Fall.

But now your time's a-come to stand

In church, a-blushèn at my zide,

The while a bridegroom vrom my hand

Ha’ took ye vor his faïthvul bride.

Your christèn neäme we gi'd ye here,

When Fall did cool the weästèn year; wasting

An’ now, ageän, we brought ye drough through

The doorway, wi’ your surneäme new,

In slantèn light o’ Fall.

An’ zoo vur, Jeäne, your life is feäir, so far

An’ God ha’ been your steadvast friend,

An’ mid ye have mwore jaÿ than ceäre, may, joy

Vor ever, till your journey's end.

An’ I've a-watch'd ye on wi’ pride,

But now I soon mus’ leäve your zide,

Vor you ha’ still life's spring-tide zun,

But my life, Jeäne, is now a-run

To slantèn light o’ Fall.