Love

Jeäne o' Grenley Mill

by William Barnes 1801–1886

From Poems of Rural Life in the Dorset Dialect: First Collection

Love

When in happy times we met,
Then by look an' deed I show'd,
How my love wer all a-zet
In the smiles that she bestow'd.
She mid have, o' left an' right,
Maïdens feäirest to the zight;
I'd a-chose among em still,
Pretty Jeäne o' Grenley Mill.

She wer feäirer, by her cows
In her work-day frock a-drest,
Than the rest wi' scornvul brows
All a-flantèn in their best.
Gaÿ did seem, at feäst or feäir,
Zights that I had her to sheäre;
Gaÿ would be my own heart still,
But vor Jeäne o' Grenley Mill.

Jeäne--a-checkèn ov her love--
Leän'd to woone that, as she guess'd,
Stood in worldly wealth above
Me she know'd she lik'd the best.
He wer wild, an' soon run drough
All that he'd a-come into,
Heartlessly a-treatèn ill
Pretty Jeäne o' Grenley Mill.

Oh! poor Jenny! thou'st a tore
Hopèn love vrom my poor heart,
Losèn vrom thy own small store,
All the better, sweeter peärt.
Hearts a-slighted must vorseäke
Slighters, though a-doom'd to break;
I must scorn, but love thee still,
Pretty Jeäne o' Grenley Mill.

Oh! if ever thy soft eyes
Could ha' turn'd vrom outward show,
To a lover born to rise
When a higher woone wer low;
If thy love, when zoo a-tried,
Could ha' stood ageän thy pride,
How should I ha' lov'd thee still,
Pretty Jeäne o' Grenley Mill.

MLA

Barnes, William. “Jeäne o' Grenley Mill.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/barnes/123/.

Chicago

Barnes, William. “Jeäne o' Grenley Mill.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/barnes/123/.

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