POEMS IN THE DORSET DIALECT.. 231 



When we at night, in snow an' gloom, 

 Did seek some neighbour's lighted room, 

 Though snow did show noo path avore, 

 Towards the house, we vound the door ; 

 An' there, as round the brands, did spread 

 The creepen vire o' cherry red, 

 Our veet vrom snow, vrom wind our head, 

 Wer warm, in winter weather. 



Wherever day mid give our road 

 By knaps, or hollows over-snow'd ; 

 By windy gaps, or lewer nooks, 

 Or briged ice, o' vrozen brooks ; 

 Still mid we all, when night do come, 

 Know where we have a peacevul hwome, 

 An' glowen vire vor vingers numb 

 Wi' cwold, in winter weather. 



7. CLOUDS. 



A-riden slow, at lofty height, 



Wer' clouds, a-blown along the sky, 



O' purple blue, an' pink, an' white, 

 In pack an' pile, a-reachen high, 



A-shiften off, as they did goo, 



Their sheapes, from new, agean to new. 



An' zome like rocks an' tow'rs o' stwone, 

 Or hills or woods, a-reachen wide ; 



An' zome like roads, wi' doust a-blown, 

 A-glitt'ren white up off their zide, 



A-comen bright, agean to feade 

 In sheapes a-meade to be unmeade. 



