Yorkshire Dialect Poems (1673-1915) and traditional poems

The Milkin'-Time

     J. H. Dixon (1803-1876)

     Meet me at the fowd at the milkin'-time,
     Whan the dusky sky is gowd at the milkin'-time;
        Whan the fog(1) is slant(2) wi' dew,
        An' the clocks(3) go hummin' thro'
     The wick-sets(4) an' the branches of the owmerin'(5) yew.

     Weel ye knaw the hour of the milkin'-time,
     The girt bell sounds frev t' tower at the milkin'-time;
        Bud as gowd sooin turns to gray,
        An' I cannot have delay,
     Dunnot linger by the way at the milkin'-time.

     Ye'll find a lass at's true at the milkin'-time,
     Shoo thinks of nane bud you at the milkin'-time;
        Bud my fadder's gittin' owd,
        An' he's gien a bit to scowd,
     Whan I's ower lang at the fowd at the milkin'-time.

     Happen ye're afeard at the milkin'-time;
     Mebbe loike ye've heerd at the milkin'-time
        The green fowk shak their feet,
        Whan t' moon on Heeside's breet,
     An' it chances so to-neet, at the milkin'-time.

     There's yan, an' he knaws weel whan it's milkin'-time;
     He'd feace the varra de'il at the milkin'-time.
        He'd nut be yan to wait
        Tho' a barguest(6) war i' t' gate,(7)
     If the word I'd nobbud say 't at the milkin'-time.

     1. Aftermath.  2. Wet.  3. Beetles  4. Quick-sets.  5. Overshadowing
     6. The barguest is an apparition, taking usually the form of a big
     black dog with saucer eyes.  7. Way, road.