The sun sat up on the mountain top
And started to sink from view,
A shadow, spread on the valley floor
Was creeping over you,
You’d just told me that you’d had enough
In the shade of a chestnut tree,
And then I saw in your shrouded smile
That you meant you were through with me.

I didn’t know what I’d done to you,
I thought it was only love,
But then the shadow had covered you
From the mountain top above,
You pulled your hood up over your hair
And wrapped yourself in your cloak,
Said you were going to leave me there
Go off with some other folk.

Your words were cruel, and pierced my heart
I wasn’t aware I’d erred,
You acted as if we’d strayed apart,
There was someone you preferred,
We’d been together so long I thought
That no-one could take my place,
But since you’ve shown that I’m on my own
I’m afraid of losing face.

And so I lie in the Mulberry bush
And I wait to see him here,
His first embrace with the one I love
Will become his last, I fear,
I took the knife from the kitchen drawer
With a view to bring his end,
But now I see as he ventures near
That the cheating one’s my friend.

How could you take my friend from me
As you take yourself away,
It isn’t enough that I’m losing you
But my friend as well, today,
I’ll not be spilling his blood tonight
As I thought I’d surely do,
But all the anger and hurt I feel
Has turned the knife on you.

David Lewis Paget