Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE CLOTE (WATER-LILY), by WILLIAM BARNES



Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE CLOTE (WATER-LILY), by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: O zummer clote! When the brook's a-gliden
Last Line: Thy flow'r afloat, goolden zummer clote!
Subject(s): Flowers; Lilies; Summer


O zummer clote! when the brook's a-gliden,
So slow an' smooth down his zedgy bed,
Upon thy broad leaves so seafe a-riden
The water's top wi' thy yollow head,
By alder sheades, O,
An' bulrush beds, O,
Thou then dost float, goolden zummer clote!
The grey-bough'd withy's a-leanen lowly
Above the water thy leaves do hide;
The benden bulrush, a-swayen slowly,
Do skirt in zummer thy river's zide;
An' perch in shoals, O,
Do vill the holes, O,
Where thou dost float, goolden zummer clote!
Oh! when thy brook-drinken flow'r's a-blowen,
The burnen zummer's a-zetten in;
The time o' greenness, the time o' mowen,
When in the hay-vield, wi' zunburnt skin,
The vo'k to drink, O,
Upon the brink, O,
Where thou dost float, goolden zummer clote!
Wi' earms a-spreaden, an' cheaks a-blowen,
How proud wer I when I vu'st could zwim
Athirt the deep pleace where thou bist growen,
Wi' thy long more vrom the bottom dim;
While cows, knee-high, O,
In brook, wer nigh, O,
Where thou dost float, goolden zummer clote!
Ov all the brooks drough the meads a-winden,
Ov all the meads by a river's brim,
There's nwone so feair o' my own heart's vinden
As where the maidens do zee thee zwim,
An' stan' to teake, O,
Wi' long-stemm'd reake, O,
Thy flow'r afloat, goolden zummer clote!







Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...



Home: PoetryExplorer.net