Conversation with Death
traditional
What is this I cannot see
Icy hands take hold on me
I am death and none can tell
I open the door to heaven and hell
Death, oh death, how can it be
That I must come and go with thee
Death, oh death, how can it be
I'm unprepared for eternity
I've come for to get your soul
Take your body and leave it cold
I'll drop the flesh from of'n your frame
The earth and worms both have their claim
Oh death, oh death, please give me time
To fix my heart and change my mind
Your mind is fixed
Your heart is bound
I've got the shackles to drag you down
I'll lock your jaw so you can't talk
I'll lock your knees so you can't walk
I'll close your eyes so you can't see
Come with me
I am a man of constant sorrow
I've seen troubles all my days
Mother, Mother, come to my bed
Put a cold towel upon me head
My head is warm, my feet is cold
Death put his shackles on my soul
Death take your shackles from my soul
Conversation with Death
traditional
O what is this i cannot see
With icy hands gets a hold of me?
O I am Death, none can excel
I open the doors of heaven and hell
O death, O death how can it be
That I must come and go with thee?
O death, O death how can it be
I'm unprepared for eternity?
Yes I have come for to get your soul
To take your body and leave it cold
I'll drop the flesh from off your frame
The earth and worms both have their claim
O death, O death if this be true
Please give me time to reason with you
From time to time you've hurt them so
Won't you let them 'scape the toll?
I'll lock your jaw so you can't talk
I'll fix your feet so you can't walk
I'll close your eyes so you can't see
This very hour you'll come and go with me
O death, O death consider my age
And please don't take me at this stage
My wealth is all at your command
If you will remove your icy hands
The old, the young, the rich, the poor
Alike with me will have to go
No wage, no wealth, no silver, no gold
Nothing satisfies me but your poor soul
O death, O death please let me see
If Christ has turned his back on me
When you were called and asked to bow
You took no heed and it's too late now
O death, O death please give me time
To fix my heart and change my mind
Your heart is fixed, your mind is bound
I have the shackles to drag you down
Too late, too late, to all farewell
Your soul is damned, you're summoned to hell
As long as God in heaven shall dwell
Your soul, your soul shall scream in hell
Oh Death, Oh Death
a Conversation with Death
traditional
[nb: "Oh cold, cold, rigid, dreadful Death, set up thine altar
here, and dress it with such terrors as thou hast at thy command:
for this is thy dominion! But of the loved, revered, and honoured
head, thou canst not turn one hair to thy dread purposes, or make
one feature odious. It is not that the hand is heavy and will
fall down when released; it is not that the heart and pulse are
still; but that the hand was open, generous, and true; the heart
brave, warm, and tender; and the pulse a man's. Strike, Shadow,
strike! And see his good deeds springing from the wound, to sow
the world with life immortal!" (comment of Ebenezer Scrooge when
confronted with his own mortality by The Ghost of Christmas to
Come) by Charles Dickens in A Christmas Carol (1843)]
Oh what is this, I cannot see
An icy hand takes hold on me?
Oh I am death, that none can excel;
I open the door to heaven and hell.
Oh death, oh death how can it be
That I must come and go with thee?
Oh death, oh death how can it be
For I'm unprepared for eternity?
Oh yes, I've come for to get your soul,
Take your body and leave it cold;
I'll drop the flesh from off'n your frame,
The earth and worms both have their claim.
I'll lock your jaw, so you can't talk;
I'll fix your feet, so you can't walk;
I'll close your eyes, so you can't see:
This very hour, come and go with me.
Oh death, oh death please let me see
If Christ has turned his back on me.
When you were called and asked to bow,
You took no heed and it's too late now.
Oh death, oh death, please give me time
Too fix my heart, to change my mind.
Your heart is fixed, your mind is bound,
And I have the shackles to drag you down.
Farewell, farewell, to all farewell;
My doom is fixed, I'm summoned to hell.
As long as God in heaven shall dwell,
My soul, my soul, shall scream in hell.
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