| Love
by Thomas Brierley
Fust time 'at he talked abeawt love
Awst never forget it, aw think,
For tho’ awr as flush as a rose,
Aw trembled as if aw should sink;
Aw kept mi two een upo’ th’ greawnd,
While softly he chanted love’s tune,
But when aw fun th’ use o’ mi tongue,
Aw said it wur rayther too soon.
Next time 'at he started again,
Awr roamin’ for berries i’ th’ dell,
He popped through a gap, an’ he said,
“Art havin’ a jaunt by thisell’.”
Then he singled mi fingers i’ his,
An’ tried to look into mi een,
But aw begged he would not be so bowd,
For awr nobbut just turned seventeen.
Tho’ aw liked him as weel as mi life,
When he axt me again, aw looked shy;
Aw felt 'at aw couldn’t say “ay,”
An’ it very nee made me to cry.
He urged me to wed him at once,
True love, he said, isn’t a crime;
At last aw plucked up an’ said, “husht!
An’ aw’ll gie thee an onsur next time.”
Thur’ blue-bells an’ daisies i’ th’ wood,
Thur’ blossoms on every bush,
Th’ hawthorns wur cream-like an' rich,
An’ sweet were the notes of the thrush –
When he pressed mi two lips to his own,
An’ said, “con ta love me for good,”
Wi’ cheeks like a fine rosy morn,
Aw whispered, aw thowt 'at aw could.
It’s monny a lung year sin’ that day,
An’ neaw we’n some young un’s to keep,
We’n two 'at are goin’ t’ skoo,
An’ one 'at’s i’ th’ kayther asleep;
Eawr life passes on like a dream,
Mi husband an’ me never fret,
We con buss one another, an’ say
“We’n never once after thowt yet.” | | Audio: You may need to allow ActiveX to listen. Link to Glossary. Explanations: Een - eyes Fun - found Rayther - rather Art - are you Nobbut - only Thur - there were Ta - thou Kayther - cradle Buss - kiss | |