Classic Poem

Thease stwonen steps a-zet so true
Wi' top on top, a voot each wide,
Did always clim' the slopen zide
O' theäse steep ledge, vor me an' you.
Had men a-built the steps avore
The mossy arch ov our wold door?
Wer theäse wold steäirs a-laid by man
Avore the bridge's arched span?
Had vo'k a-put the stwones down here
Avore they piled the churches speer?
Ah! who do know how long agoo
The steps vu'st bore a shoe?

An' here bezide the slopen hump,
Vrom stwone to stwone, a-lyen flat,
The children's little veet do pat,
An' men-vo'k's heavy zoles do clump.
Ah! which the last shall beät a shoe
On theäse grey stwones: shall I or you?
Which little boy o' mine shall clim'
The steps the last, my John or Jim?
Which maid, child-quick or woman-slow,
Shall walk the last theäse stwones in row?
Who can ever tell us who
The last shall come or goo?

The road do leäd below the blocks
To yonder springhead's stwonen cove,
An' Squier's house, an elem grove,
An' mill bezide the foamy rocks.
An' aye, theäse well-wore blocks o' stwone
Wer here when I vu'st run alwone;
The stwonen steäirs wer here avore
My father put a voot to vloor.
'Twer up the steps that gramfer come
To court poor grammer at her hwome.
But who can ever tell what peäirs
O' veet trod vu'st the steäirs?