Weeping Willow
Why does the willow bend her leaves to the water?
Why is she searching now, searching so hard?
Why does the willow bend her leaves to the water?
And where is fair Thomas, fair Thomas the bard?
Thomas the bard loved Mary the golden,
And all of his songs were made in her praise,
And beautiful Mary loved Thomas the minstrel,
And always would, always, till the end of her days.
But Thomas was restless, restless and fretful,
And was struck in his heart by a wanderlust deep,
Yet he swore that he'd hear her if e’er he was needed,
Hear her call out to him, even in sleep.
He wandered away and his Mary stayed waiting,
Her song ringing out at the end of the day,
But her sweet voice had drawn out unheeded attention,
For it reached under hills and was heard by the fey.
They bid her sing for them, sing day and night,
And in her songs Mary called to her love’s heart –
And he stole back his lady, however so wounded,
And vowed there and then that they’d ne’er again part.
So why does the willow bend her leaves to the water?
Why is she searching now, searching so hard?
Why does the willow bend her leaves to the water?
And where is fair Thomas, fair Thomas the bard?
The faeries were angry that he'd taken their songstress,
And their shrieks of anger made the lovers afraid,
They ran to the lake and they took to the water,
But their little boat sank ‘neath their foe's hard tirade.
The lass made for the bank with strokes swift and strong,
But Thomas's injuries pulled him with the boat down,
And the faeries cried triumph as they stood on the shore,
And jeered as they watched the girl's brave lover drown.
Mary still stands, searching the lakeside,
Only now there are leaves where once she had fingers,
And her body is turned into the willow tree supple,
And it's only the whisper of her voice that lingers:
"Willow in grief bends her leaves to the water,
For we can’t be parted, though the search may be hard,
And I'll keep on searching, my leaves in the water,
Till I find fair Thomas, fair Thomas the Bard."
All Works are © Original Author
(OC Author - Gillian Smart)