“A Ballad of Trees and the Master” by Sidney Lanier
Set to English ballad music written by Matsuo Hagita
[note: can we post mp3s here? I ought to try to send a performance of this…]
Into the woods; my Master went,
clean forspent; clean forspent.
Into the woods; my Master came,
forspent with love; with love and shame.
But the olive trees, they were not blind to him.
the little gray leaves were kind to him.
Even the thorn-tree had a mind to him
when into the woods he came.
Out of the woods; my Master went,
and he was well; he was well content!
Out of the woods; my Master came,
and He was content with death, and shame!
When Death and Shame would woo him at last,
from under trees they drew him at last;
'twas on a tree, they slew him at last;
when out of the woods he came!
