Ov all the birds upon the wing <br />Between the zunny showers o' spring,- <br />Vor all the lark, a-swingen high, <br />Mid zing below a cloudless sky, <br />An' sparrows, clust'ren roun' the bough, <br />Mid chatter to the men at plough, - <br />The blackbird, whisslen in among <br />The boughs, do zing the gayest zong. <br /> <br />Vor we do hear the blackbird zing <br />His sweetest ditties in the spring, <br />When nippen win's noo mwore do blow <br />Vrom northern skies, wi' sleet or snow, <br />But dreve light doust along between <br />The leane-zide hedges, thick an' green; <br />An' zoo the blackbird in among <br />The boughs do zing the gayest zong. <br /> <br />'Tis blithe, wi' newly-opened eyes, <br />To zee the mornen's ruddy skies; <br />Or, out a-haulen frith or lops <br />Vrom new-pleshed hedge or new-velled copse, <br />To rest at noon in primrwose beds <br />Below the white-barked woak-trees' heads; <br />But there's noo time, the whole day long, <br />Lik' evenen wi' the blackbird's zong. <br /> <br />Vor when my work is all a-done <br />Avore the zetten o' the zun, <br />Then blushen Jeane do walk along <br />The hedge to meet me in the drong, <br />An' stay till all is dim an' dark <br />Bezides the ashen tree's white bark; <br />An' all bezides the blackbird's shrill <br />An' runnen evenen-whissle's still. <br /> <br />An' there in bwoyhood I did rove <br />Wi' pryen eyes along the drove <br />To vind the nest the blackbird meade <br />O' grass-stalks in the high bough's sheade; <br />Or climb aloft, wi' clingen knees, <br />Vor crows' aggs up in swayen trees, <br />While frightened blackbirds down below <br />Did chatter o' their little foe. <br />An' zoo there's noo pleace lik' the drong, <br />Where I do hear the blackbird's zong.<br /><br />William Barnes<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-blackbird-6/
