Tower and Town, October 1986

LINDEN LEA

LINDEN LEA

'thin the woodlands, flow'ry gleaded,
By the woak tree's mossy foot,
The sheenen grass-bleades, timber-sheaded,
Now do quiver under voot:
An' birds do whissle auver head,
An' water's bubblen in its bed,
An' there vor me the apple tree
Do lean down low in Linden Lea.

When leaves that leatley wer a-springen
Now do feade 'ithin the copse,
An' painted birds do hush their zingen
Up upon the timber's tops:
An' brown-leav'd fruit's a-turnen red,
In cloudless zunsheen, auver head,
Wi' fruit vor me, the apple tree
Do lean down low in Lindin Lea.

Let other vo'k meake money vaster
In the air o'dark-room'd towns,
I don't dread a peevish measter:
Though noo man do heed my fr
I be free to goo abrode
Or teake agean my hwomeward
To where, vor me, the apple tre
Do lean down low in Linden Le

William Barnes