Yorkshire Dialect Poems (1673-1915) and traditional poems

Come to thy Gronny, Doy(1)

     Ben Preston

     Come to thy gronny, doy, come to thy gronny,
     Bless thee, to me tha'rt as pratty as onny;
     Mutherlass barn of a dowter unwed,
     Little tha knaws, doy, the tears at I've shed;
     Trials I've knawn both for t' heart an' for t' heead,
     Shortness o' wark, ay, an' shortness o' breead.

     These I could bide, bud tho' tha'rt noan to blame,
     Bless thee, tha browt me both sorra an' shame;
     Gronny, poor sowl, for a two month or more
     Hardly could feshion to lewk aat. o' t' door;
     T' neighbours called aat to me, "Dunnot stand that,
     Aat wi' that hussy an' aat wi' her brat."

     Deary me, deary me! what could I say?
     T' furst thing of all, I thowt, let me go pray;
     T' next time I slept I'd a dream, do ye see,
     Ay, an' I knew at that dream were for me.
     Tears of Christ Jesus, I saw 'em that neet,
     Fall drop by drop on to one at His feet.

     After that, saw Him wi' barns raand His knee,
     Some on 'em, happen, poor crayturs like thee;
     Says I at last, though I sorely were tried,
     Surely a sinner a sinner sud bide;
     Neighbours may think or may say what they will,
     T' muther an' t' dowter sal stop wi' me still.

     Come on 't what will, i' my cot they sal caar,(2)
     Woe be to them at maks bad into waar(3);
     Some fowk may call thee a name at I hate,
     Wishin' fra t' heart tha were weel aat o' t' gate;
     Oft this hard world into t' gutter 'll shove thee,
     Poor little lamb, wi' no daddy to love thee.

     Dunnot thee freeat, doy, whol granny hods up,
     Niver sal tha want a bite or a sup;
     What if I work these owd fingers to t' boan,
     Happen tha'll love me long after I'm goan;
     T' last bite i' t' cupboard wi' thee I could share't,
     Hay! bud tha's stown(4) a rare slice o' my heart.

     Spite of all t' sorra, all t' shame at I've seen,
     Sunshine comes back to my heart throo thy een;
     Cuddle thy gronny, doy,
     Bless thee, tha'rt bonny, doy,
     Rosy an' sweet fra thy braa to thy feet,
     Kingdoms an' craans wodn't buy thee to-neet.

     1 Darling.	2. Cower, take shelter.	 3. Worse.  4. Stolen.