The sun is risen on my grief
Sleepless night turns to burnished day
On the road of no return
Dancing by my feet
Are fumiter and furrow-weeds,
Burdocks, hemlock and cuckoo-flowers,
All the idle weeds that grow
Mad as the vexed sea
Century in stately rows
Every acre of the field
Nature hold me in repose
Thorns and roots and leaves
Blessed secrets of the earth,
Mediate in my distress!
Close the eye of anguish now,
All you idle weeds.
Alack, it's I met even now
Crowned with nettles and darnel
Singing aloud to all and none
And handfuls gathering
Of fumiter and furrow-weeds,
Burdocks, hemlock and cuckoo-flowers,
All the idle weeds that grow
Mad as the vexed sea
Sister moon and brother sun,
Starry heaven, river swift,
Give me strength and will to know
Why I still draw breath
Blessed secrets of the earth,
Mediate in my distress!
Close the eye of anguish now,
All you idle weeds.
credits
from The Magpie,
released March 26, 2018
Polly Moller Springhorn: voice, flute, bass flute
Tim Walters: bass, etc.
Music by Tim Walters
Lyrics by Polly Moller Springhorn after William Shakespeare