from Third-Collection Poems with phonemic transcripts
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 29 March 2018
(All true.)
JOHN BLOOM he wer a jolly soul,
A grinder o’ the best o’ meal,
Bezide a river that did roll,
Vrom week to week, to push his wheel.
His flour wer all a-meäde o’ wheat;
An’ fit for bread that vo'k mid eat; folk may
Vor he would starve avore he'd cheat.
“ 'Tis pure,” woone woman cried; one
“Aye, sure,” woone mwore replied;
“ You'll vind it nice. Buy woonce, buy twice,” once
Cried worthy Bloom the miller.
Athirt the chest he wer so wide across
As two or dree ov me or you, three
An’ wider still vrom zide to zide,
An’ I do think still thicker drough. through
Vall down, he coulden, he did lie
When he wer up on-zide so high
As up on-end or perty nigh.
“Meäke room,” woone naïghbour cried;
“ 'Tis Bloom,” woone mwore replied;
“Good morn t'ye all, bwoth girt an’ small,” great
Cried worthy Bloom the miller.
Noo stings o’ conscience ever broke
His rest, a-twitèn o'n wi’ wrong, reproaching him
Zoo he did sleep till mornèn broke, so
An’ birds did call en wi’ their zong. Him
But he did love a harmless joke,
An’ love his evenèn whiff o’ smoke,
A-zittèn in his cheäir o’ woak. oak
“Your cup,” his daughter cried;
“Vill'd up,” his wife replied;
“Aye, aye; a drap avore my nap,”
Cried worthy Bloom the miller.
When Lon'on vok did meäke a show
O’ their girt glassen house woone year, great, one
An’ people went, bwoth high an’ low,
To zee the zight, vrom vur an’ near, far
“O well,” cried Bloom, “why I've a right
So well's the rest to zee the zight;
I'll goo, an’ teäke the raïl outright.” forthwith
“Your feäre,” the booker cried; fare
“There, there,” good Bloom replied;
“Why this June het do meäke woone zweat,” heat
Cried worthy Bloom the miller.
Then up the guard did whissle sh'ill, shrilly
An’ then the engine pank'd a-blast, blew out
An’ rottled on so loud's a mill,
Avore the traïn, vrom slow to vast. fast
An’ oh! at last how they did spank
By cuttèn deep, an’ high-cast bank
The while their iron ho'se did pank. pant
“Do whizzy,” woone o'm cried;
“I'm dizzy,” woone replied;
“Aye, here's the road to hawl a lwoad,”
Cried worthy Bloom the miller.
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