I’SE coomin’ back fra’ furrin parts,
An’, Aa! I’se varra fain
To see my lile steean hoose
In Wensleydale again.
It’s grand to finnd oot for yoursen
T’ ways of ither lands,
But ther is niver nobbut yan
We reetlins onderstands.
North or South or East or West
T’ ony land for me
Is wheer my singin’ rivers flow
Doon towards t’ cold North Sea;
Ther some o’ t’ hills is covered
Wi’ rare short grass an’ bent,
An’ some wi’ ling an’ heather
An’ breet whin merriment.
Ther t’ becks is born a-laughin’
An’ ken just how to laik,
By t’ alders, pines an’ sycamores,
Fra’ t’ moors ower t’ green intake.
It’s ther my lile steean hoose stands,
Wheer I had hoped to bide
Thro’ tired days; amang its trees
Mony a bird can hide:
It’s ther I planned ‘at I wud be
While t’ world I had to leave, . . .
But I live in a girt hoose noo,
An’ for my lile hoose grieve;
Aa! when I’se sad, or worn, or ill.
I’se allus terrible fain
To finnd my way fra’ ony airt
To that sweet place again;
But noo ther’s strangers livin’ theer;
So I mun go at neet
Doon dream-roads to its yatsteead,
An’ leave afore day-leet.
(Dorothy Una Ratcliffe)
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Based on Topics: Sadness Poems, Birds PoemsBased on Keywords: whin, breet, theer, neet, alders, lile, niver, hoose, nobbut, varra, intake