My Orcha'd in Linden Lea | Linden Lea | Within the woodlands, flow'ry gladed

Within the woodlands, flow'ry gladed

Language: English

Our translations: DUT FRI GER SPA

Within the woodlands, flow'ry gladed,
By the oak trees' mossy moot,
The shining grass blades, timber-shaded,
Now do quiver underfoot;
And birds do whistle overhead,
And water's bubbling in its bed;
And there, for me, the apple tree
Do lean down low in Linden Lea.

When leaves, that lately were a-springing,
Now do fade within the copse,
And painted birds do hush their singing,
Up upon the timber tops;
And brown-leaved fruits a-turning red,
In cloudless sunshine overhead,
With fruit for me, the apple tree
Do lean down low in Linden Lea.

Let other folk make money faster
In the air of dark-roomed towns;
I don't dread a peevish master,
Though no man may heed my frowns.
I be free to go abroad,
Or take again my homeward road
To where, for me, the apple tree
Do lean down low in Linden Lea.

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

by William Barnes (1801 - 1886), "My Orcha'd in Linden Lea", appears in Hwomely Rhymes. A Second Collection of Poems in the Dorset Dialect, first published 1859 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872 - 1958), "Linden Lea", alternate title: "In Linden Lea", 1901, published 1902 [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

Researcher for this page: John Versmoren

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 143