A Song

[openaway.livejournal.com]

Christmas comes but once a year
When the green leaves they have fallen
Young Edmund on his pillow lay
For the love of Barbara Allen

He sent his servants out one day
To the place where she was dwelling
"My master wants one word with you
If your name be Barbara Allen."

"One word from me he never will get
Nor any young man breathing
One word from me he never will get
If his heart was fairly breaking."

So slowly slowly she got up
And slowly she put on her
And slowly still to his bedside
Saying "Young man you are dying."

"I'm lying low and very very ill
And the grave will be my dwelling
One kiss from you would cure me now
My bonny Barbara Allen."

"One kiss from me you never will get
Nor any young man breathing
One kiss from me you never will get
If your heart was fairly breaking."

"Look up look up at my bedhead
And there you'll see it hanging
My gold watch and my silver chain
I bestow to Barbara Allen."

He turned his pale face to the wall
And death came to him creeping
"Farewell farewell to my friends all
And be kind to Barbara Allen."

She looked east and she looked west
And she heard the small birds singing
They sang so sweet and seemed to say
"Hard-hearted Barbara Allen."

"Oh mother oh mother go dig my grave
Go dig it long and narrow
A young man died for me today
And for him I'll die tomorrow."

One was buried in St. Mary's churchyard
The other in St. Peter's
Out of her grave grew a red rose
And out of his a briar

They grew so high so very very high
Till they could grow no higher
They met at the top in a true lover's knot
And it's there they'll stay forever.


My mother would sing that at this time of year.

Comments

[mollyforeva.livejournal.com]

...

It's so sad.

[openaway.livejournal.com]

It is.

[mollyforeva.livejournal.com]

I... it's especially hard this time of year, isn't it.

[openaway.livejournal.com]

Having lost my family?
No harder really.

[lunargoodness.livejournal.com]

...it's sad. But...there's something about it, though, that I like...

[openaway.livejournal.com]

I like it a lot.

The tune is lovely, I wish I could let you hear it.

[thisayenight.livejournal.com]

You know....I've never actually payed attention to the lyrics before. It's kind of depressing....

[openaway.livejournal.com]

I think most folk songs are either depressing or dirty.

[gabber255.livejournal.com]

what are a Barbara alien?

[openaway.livejournal.com]

"Barbara Allen" is a name.