Rose of Youth

This song is from my work in progress: The Fairest Heart, a mythopoeic retelling of Snow White. It was inspired by a poem by Goethe, "Heidenröslein," though mine has a more morbid ending.

Saw a man a rose in bloom

A rose upon the sweet heath

Upon the flower fell its doom

As trod he the rose beneath

He laughed and to the rose he said,

“Your beauty hath I enjoyed,

Tis I who have struck you dead

And your bloom hath I destroyed.”

Oh rose, oh rose, oh rose of youth!

To fall so prey to man uncouth!

But time his judge no mercy hath

And end of life with give him wrath

The rose with dying breath she gave

Her final words of warning

“Sir, you are a wicked knave

To slay me in my morning.

“But while from me you have no fear

Best look to King in heaven

For your judgement draws near

You’ll die before eleven.”

Oh rose, oh rose, oh rose of youth!

To fall so prey to man uncouth!

But time his judge no mercy hath

And end of life will give him wrath

The man did scoff and went his way

There in darkened morning

Off to his drink and wicked play

His coming death he scorning

But on his path to places black

He stepped upon a thorn

And fell he down from the attack

And bled upon that morn

Oh rose, oh rose, oh rose of youth!

To fall so prey to man uncouth!

But time his judge no mercy hath

And end of life will give him wrath

He swore and tried again to rise

Poison seeped into his vein

He knew her words and he was wise

No longer did he now disdain

“To kill a rose for selfish gain

Hath sent me to my just grave!”

He saw his guilt with dying pain

For his evil life he gave.

Oh rose, oh rose, oh rose of youth!

To fall so prey to man uncouth!

But time his judge no mercy hath

And end of life will give him wrath