Yorkshire Dialect Poems (1673-1915) and traditional poems

A Kuss (1912)

     John Malham-Dembleby

     Ye may bring me gowd bi t' bowlful,
        Gie me lands bi t' mile,
     Fling me dewy roses,
        Stoor(1) set on my smile.
     Ye may caar(2) ye daan afoor me,
        Castles for me build,
     Twine me laurel garlands,
        Let sweet song be trilled.
     Ye may let my meyt be honey,
        Let my sup be wine,
     Gie me haands an' hosses,
        Gie me sheep an' kine.
     Yit one flaid(3) kuss fra her would gie
        Sweeter bliss to me
     Nor owt at ye could finnd to name,
        Late(4) ye through sea tul sea.

     I've seen her hair gleam gowden
        In t' Kersmas yollow sun,
     An' ivery inch o' graand she treeads
        Belang her sure it mun.
     Her smile is sweet as roses,
        An' sweeter far to me,
     An' praad she hods her heead up,
        As lass o' heigh degree.
     Bonnie are green laurel leaves,
        I'd sooiner my braa feel
     T' laughin' lips o' t' lass I love,
        Though bays be varry weel.

     I'm varry fond o' singin',
        What bonnier could be
     Nor my fair lass hersen agate(5)
        A-singin' love to me?
     It's reight to live on spice an' sich,
        An' sup a warmin' glass,
     But sweet-stuff's walsh,(6) an' wine is cowd,
        Aside my lovely lass.
     Tak ye your haands an' hosses,
        Tak ye your sheep an' kine;
     To finnd my lass ower t' hills I'll ride,
        She sal be iver mine.

     1. Value.  2. Cower. 3. Trembling.
     4. Search.  5. Busy.  6. Insipid.