Maiden in the mor lay,
In the mor lay,
Sevenight fulle, sevenight fulle.
Maiden in the mor lay,
In the mor lay,
Sevenightes fulle and a day.
Welle was hire mete.
What was hire mete?
The primerole and the—
The primerole and the—
Welle was hire mete.
What was hire mete?
The primerole and the violet.
Welle was hire dring.
What was hire dring?
The chelde water of the—
The chelde water of the—
Welle was hire dring.
What was hire dring?
The chelde water of the welle-spring.
Welle was hire bour.
What was hire bour?
The rede rose and the—
The rede rose and the—
Welle was hire bour.
What was hire bour?
The rede rose and the lilie flour.
Editors' Notes:
mor - moor
mete - food
primerole - primrose
dring - drink
chelde - cold
Source of the text - Middle English Lyrics: A Norton Critical Edition, selected and edited by Maxwell S. Luria and Richard L. Hoffman. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1974, pages 128-129.
TJB: Down
her weedy trophies. Here, repetition & musicality aestheticize the death of a
proto-Ophelia, with a focus on her food & drink & her crib.
No comments:
Post a Comment