Oh most beautiful lady, swinging from the tree,
Oh most beautiful lady, what fate has befallen thee?
Was it guilt that drove you to tie a noose around your neck,
Or was it a lover’s heartless words when he left your bed?
Oh most beautiful lady, tell me your story please,
Tell me how you came to be swinging here, alone among these trees.
‘Twas a curse that brought me here, not any fault of my own,
A curse upon my mother’s house from when she took the throne.
Said the man she drove away, who hanged himself in shame,
Said he, let the fate of all your daughters be as mine the same.
So carefully and fearfully my sisters and I lived,
But ‘twas not enough for the curse to be undid.
One by one we hung ourselves, each from this very tree,
I am the last of my sisters here, blowing in the breeze.
My mother’s house has fallen, just as the dead man wished,
Now pray, good sir, do this for me, fulfill my dying wish.
Burry me under this tree, ‘tis where my sisters lie,
Then go to my mother and tell her dear lady, do not cry.
For this world that we have entered is pleasant and full of cheer,
My sisters and I, our deepest hope, is that she wait to join us here.
We desire only, for her to live out her days,
Then for her to join us, by natures gentle ways.
Oh most beautiful lady, hanging in the tree,
Oh most beautiful lady, this I will do for thee.
Thank you, oh kind sir, thanks to the utmost degree,
And for this kindness you do give, a blessing I’ll bestow on thee.
May your life be fruitful and full of simple pleasures,
And may the earth yield to you all her precious treasures.
May your sons be as kind as they are strong and,
May all your daughters be as fair as summer blossom.
She then fell silent, after blessing me,
So I cut her down, and dug her grave beneath the tree.
When laid to rest she was, oh that beautiful lady!
I went in haste to find her mother and tell her what I knew.
I found the woman she spoke of in a white castle by the sea,
Said I to the woman, dear lady, do not grieve.
For I have spoken with your daughter,
Who I found hanging in the trees.
She asked for me to tell you, indeed all your daughters say,
Do not come to us quick, mama, we’ll wait forever and a day.
For they have passed into a land of good cheer,
I hope this message, oh dear lady, brings comfort to you here.
Good sir, she cried, comfort me it does,
I thank you for bringing me this message from all seven of my loves.
I will wait to join then, I will wait many a year,
Knowing they are happy in this land of endless cheer.
So upon my way I went, walking by the sea,
But I never forgot that lady, oh most beautiful lady,
I found swinging in the trees.
Oh most beautiful lady, what fate has befallen thee?
Was it guilt that drove you to tie a noose around your neck,
Or was it a lover’s heartless words when he left your bed?
Oh most beautiful lady, tell me your story please,
Tell me how you came to be swinging here, alone among these trees.
‘Twas a curse that brought me here, not any fault of my own,
A curse upon my mother’s house from when she took the throne.
Said the man she drove away, who hanged himself in shame,
Said he, let the fate of all your daughters be as mine the same.
So carefully and fearfully my sisters and I lived,
But ‘twas not enough for the curse to be undid.
One by one we hung ourselves, each from this very tree,
I am the last of my sisters here, blowing in the breeze.
My mother’s house has fallen, just as the dead man wished,
Now pray, good sir, do this for me, fulfill my dying wish.
Burry me under this tree, ‘tis where my sisters lie,
Then go to my mother and tell her dear lady, do not cry.
For this world that we have entered is pleasant and full of cheer,
My sisters and I, our deepest hope, is that she wait to join us here.
We desire only, for her to live out her days,
Then for her to join us, by natures gentle ways.
Oh most beautiful lady, hanging in the tree,
Oh most beautiful lady, this I will do for thee.
Thank you, oh kind sir, thanks to the utmost degree,
And for this kindness you do give, a blessing I’ll bestow on thee.
May your life be fruitful and full of simple pleasures,
And may the earth yield to you all her precious treasures.
May your sons be as kind as they are strong and,
May all your daughters be as fair as summer blossom.
She then fell silent, after blessing me,
So I cut her down, and dug her grave beneath the tree.
When laid to rest she was, oh that beautiful lady!
I went in haste to find her mother and tell her what I knew.
I found the woman she spoke of in a white castle by the sea,
Said I to the woman, dear lady, do not grieve.
For I have spoken with your daughter,
Who I found hanging in the trees.
She asked for me to tell you, indeed all your daughters say,
Do not come to us quick, mama, we’ll wait forever and a day.
For they have passed into a land of good cheer,
I hope this message, oh dear lady, brings comfort to you here.
Good sir, she cried, comfort me it does,
I thank you for bringing me this message from all seven of my loves.
I will wait to join then, I will wait many a year,
Knowing they are happy in this land of endless cheer.
So upon my way I went, walking by the sea,
But I never forgot that lady, oh most beautiful lady,
I found swinging in the trees.
The above poem is my own work, written one day while I was sitting on my bed with my iPad in my lap watching the world go by. I didn't even need to use my rhyming dictionary, the whole thing just came to me, flowed from my fingertips. I would love to know what people think of it, comments and constructive criticism are welcome.
~ Australian Kiwi
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