‘Ithin the woodlands, flow’ry gleaded,
By the woak tree’s mossy moot,
The sheenen grass-bleades, timber-sheaded,
Now do quiver under voot;
An’ birds do whissle over head,
An’ water’s bubblen in its bed,
An’ there vor me the apple tree
Do lean down low in Linden Lea.
When leaves that leately wer a-springen
Now do feade ‘ithin the copse,
An’ painted birds do hush their zingen
Up upon the timber’s tops;
An’ brown-leav’d fruit’s a-turnen red,
In cloudless zunsheen, over head,
Wi’ fruit vor me, the apple tree
Do lean down low in Linden Lea.
Let other vo’k meake money vaster
In the air o’ dark-room’d towns,
I don’t dread a peevish measter;
Though noo man do heed my frowns,
I be free to goo abrode,
Or teake agean my hwomeward road
To where, vor me, the apple tree
Do lean down low in Linden Lea.
Notes
This poem has been re-written into modern English and sung by generations of school children. Many of whom are told that it is as old as Greensleaves!!
Recentley it has had a revival amongst folk singers and is once again being recorded under it's more familiar title of Linden Lea
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Comments
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Linden Lea
From guest Di McCann (contact)
I sang this as a child at the John Ruskin Primary School in London, during the 1950's. The school did a concert at the Albert Hall and we sang Linden Lea. Although I don't remember the words, the memory of the music has stayed with me - I'm 61 years old now. I want to get hold of a choir version of it. Any ideas? Thanks, Di McCann -
The song
From guest lord_kedaar (contact)
There is a beautiful song written to this poem. It's called 'Linden Lea' and has been composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams. I strongly reccomend! -
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To guest Lord_kedaar.
Linden Lea is indeed an excellent song but Ralph Vaughan Williams did not write the song-- Only the music.
The song is simply the wonderful Dorsetshire dialect of Barnes rewritten in the more understandable Standard English taught in schools.
Alas so many marvellous poems are found by musicians and put to music (some making excellent songs) and many people do not realise they had an original, poetic existence first.
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