Five Tree Proverbs

Song Cycle by Janet Oates (b. 1970)

1. Keep a green tree
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
Keep a green tree in your heart, 
and perhaps the singing bird will come.

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Of doubtful provenance, this saying is ostensibly Chinese
Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]

2. They tried to bury us
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
They tried to bury us; they forgot that we were seeds

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This saying is now thought of as a Mexican proverb, used a lot in recent civil uprisings and protests; it is a paraphrase of a rather self-aggrandising couplet by Greek poet Dinos Christianopoulos, 1970s, talking of the literary community that criticised and ostracized him.
Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]

3a. Sinfonia: Green light
 (Sung text)

Language: Unknown Language 
— This text is not currently
in the database but will be added
as soon as we obtain it. —

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

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4. The bed of Reeds
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
That each day I may walk unceasingly on the banks of my water, that my soul may repose on
the branches of the trees which I have planted, that I may refresh myself in the shadow of my
sycamore.

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This is an Egyptian tomb inscription, 1400 BCE, (Nardo, 10):
Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]

5. Berllan anweledig
 (Sung text)

Language: Welsh (Cymraeg) 
Mae hedyn sy’n cuddio yng nghalon afal yn berllan anweledig

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Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]

5a. An orchard invisible
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
A seed hidden in the heart
of an apple is an orchard invisible

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  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

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Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]
Total word count: 87