Umbug
In a dialect from the Forest of Dean
hast zin theze umbugs?
underd an underd of sprackly craturs
volla vram vorest
squittered in strames of brown
an yalla, rustlin in bracken
tushin the tuffut
wiv yuds as ong as ackers
an hummucks as nesh as pits
mootin for zummat to chomp in theze chops
nigh yer, in our awn dip pits,
daggled craturs wiv sooty yuds
scowl the doys woy stwun and coal
thou’it ear the mine’s awld buttys
as thee lomber an lug under thee feet
mootin for zummat to chomp
an thou oik back to vorest floor
tushin stripey nighyt
Notes:
Read the note on this poem by Bethany Handley.
Source: Poetry (May 2022)