Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE STWONEN STEPS, by WILLIAM BARNES


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE STWONEN STEPS, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Thease stwonen steps a-zet so true
Last Line: O' veet trod vu'st the steäirs?
Subject(s): Family Life; History; Mortality; Stairs; Time; Relatives; Historians


Theäse stwonen steps a-zet so true
Wi' top on top, a voot each wide,
Did always clim' the slopèn zide
O' theäse steep ledge, vor me an' you.
Had men a-built the steps avore
The mossy arch ov our wold door?
Wer theäse wold steäirs a-laid by man
Avore the bridge's archèd span?
Had vo'k a-put the stwones down here
Avore they piled the church's speer?
Ah! who do know how long agoo
The steps vu'st bore a shoe?

An' here bezide the slopèn hump,
Vrom stwone to stwone, a-lyèn flat,
The childern's little veet do pat,
An' men-vo'k's heavy zoles do clump.
Ah! which the last shall beät a shoe
On theäse grey stwones: shall I or you?
Which little boy o' mine shall clim'
The steps the last, my John or Jim?
Which maïd, child-quick or woman-slow,
Shall walk the last theäse stwones in row?
Who can ever tell us who
The last shall come or goo?

The road do leäd below the blocks
To yonder springhead's stwonen cove,
An' Squier's house, an elem grove,
An' mill bezide the foamy rocks.
An' aye, theäse well-wore blocks o' stwone
Wer here when I vu'st run alwone;
The stwonèn steäirs wer here avore
My father put a voot to vloor.
'Twer up the steps that gramfer come
To court poor grammer at her hwome.
But who can ever tell what peäirs
O' veet trod vu'st the steäirs?





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