I hired 'em in tha winter-time
When, roustin vur awAc,
ThAc visited tha Rookery
A whiverin by dAc.
My childhood, youth, and manood too,
My Father's cot recAcll
Thic Rookery. Bit I mist now
Tell what it did bevAcll.
'Twar MAc-time--heavy vi' tha nests
War laden Acll tha trees;
An to an fraw, wi' creekin loud,
ThAc sway'd ta iv'ry breeze.
One night tha wine--a thundrin wine,
Jitch as war hired o' nivor,
Blaw'd two o' thic girt giant trees
Flat down into tha river.
Nests, aggs, an young uns, Acll awAc
War zweept into tha wActer
An zaw war spwiled tha Rookery
Vor iver and iver Acter.
I visited my Father's cot:
Tha Rooks war Acll a gwon;
Whaur stood tha trees in lofty pride
I zid there norra one.
My Father's cot war desolate;
An Acll look'd wild, vorlorn;
Tha Ash war stunted that war zet
Tha dAc that I war born.
My Father, Mother, Rooks, Acll gwon!
My Charlotte an my Lizzy!--
Tha gorden wi' tha tutties too!--
Jitch thawts why be za bizzy!--
Behawld tha wAc o' human thengs!
Rooks, lofty trees, an Friends--
A kill'd, taur up, like leaves drap off!--
Zaw feaver'd bein ends.
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