Social Commentaries

A Do'set Sale: With a Mistake

by William Barnes 1801–1886

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

Social Commentaries

T. Well here, then, Mister auctioneer,
Be theäse the virs, I bought, out here?

A. The firs, the fir-poles, you bought? Who?
'Twas furze, not firs, I sold to you.

T. I bid vor virs, and not vor vuzzen,
Vor vir-poles, as I thought, two dozen.

A. Two dozen faggots, and I took
Your bidding for them. Here's the book.

T. I wont have what I diddèn buy.
I don't want vuzzen, now. Not I.
Why firs an' furze do sound the seäme.
Why don't ye gi'e a thing his neäme?
Aye, firs and furze! Why, who can tell
Which 'tis that you do meän to zell?
No, no, be kind enough to call
Em virs, and vuzzen, then, that's all.

MLA

Barnes, William. “A Do'set Sale: With a Mistake.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/barnes/314/.

Chicago

Barnes, William. “A Do'set Sale: With a Mistake.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/barnes/314/.

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