Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE STWONEN STEPS, by WILLIAM BARNES 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? | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE BRITISH COUNTRYSIDE IN PICTURES by JAMES MCMICHAEL THE HISTORY OF MY LIFE by JOHN ASHBERY INITIAL CONDITIONS by MARVIN BELL THE DREAM SONGS: 290 by JOHN BERRYMAN THE EROTICS OF HISTORY by EAVAN BOLAND THEM AND US by LUCILLE CLIFTON A WINTER NIGHT by WILLIAM BARNES |
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