Some Music For Our Times… And All Others

     Have a little music on your Curmudgeon: one of the most heart-wrenching songs in the Child Catalogue, from British folk greats Maddy Prior and Tim Hart:

It’s fifty long springtimes
     Since she was a bride
But still, you may see her
     At each Whitsuntide

In a dress of white linen
And ribbons of green
As green as her memories of loving

The feet that were nimble
     Tread carefully now
As gentle a measure
     As age do allow

Through groves of white blossom
By fields of young corn
Where once she was pledged to her true love

The fields, they stand empty
     The hedgеs grow free
No young men to turn them
     Or pastures go seed

Thеy are gone where the forests
Of oak trees before
Have gone to be wasted in battle

Down from the green farmlands
     And from their loved ones
Marched husbands and brothers
     And fathers and sons

There’s a fine roll of honour
Where the Maypole once stood
And the ladies go dancing at Whitsun

There’s a straight row of houses
In these latter days
All covering the downs
Where the sheep used to graze

There’s a field of red poppies
A wreath from the Queen
But the ladies remember at Whitsun

And the ladies go dancing at Whitsun