The Mind

Fancy

by William Barnes 1801–1886

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

The Mind

In stillness we ha' words to hear,
An' sheäpes to zee in darkest night,
An' tongues a-lost can haïl us near,
An' souls a-gone can smile in zight;
When Fancy now do wander back
To years a-spent, an' bring to mind
Zome happy tide a-left behind
In' weästèn life's slow-beatèn track.

When feädèn leaves do drip wi' raïn,
Our thoughts can ramble in the dry;
When Winter win' do zweep the plaïn
We still can have a zunny sky.
Vor though our limbs be winter-wrung,
We still can zee, wi' Fancy's eyes,
The brightest looks ov e'th an' skies,
That we did know when we wer young.

In païn our thoughts can pass to eäse,
In work our souls can be at plaÿ,
An' leäve behind the chilly leäse
Vor warm-aïr'd meäds o' new mow'd haÿ.
When we do vlee in Fancy's flight
Vrom daily ills avore our feäce,
An' linger in zome happy pleäce
Ov mè'th an' smiles, an' warmth an' light.

MLA

Barnes, William. “Fancy.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/barnes/281/.

Chicago

Barnes, William. “Fancy.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/barnes/281/.

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