Roses & Lavender

Roses & Lavender: A Song For Two Female Voices

By Elisabetta Lucia Portinari

(First Singer)

I shall pick roses,

To give to my love,

As scarlet as rubies,

As pure as the dove.

The thorns shall not wound me,

Though they shed my blood,

For I shall have roses,

To give to my love.

(Second Singer)

I shall pick lavender,

To give to my love,

Purple as amethyst,

A scent from above.

The bees shall not wound me,

Although I be stung,

For I shall have lavender,

To give to my love.

(First Singer)

I shall pick roses,

To give to my love,

And then he shall whisper,

“Tis you I dream of.”

The thorns shall not wound him,

Though they stain my gloves,

For these are the roses,

I give to my love.

(Second Singer)

I shall pick lavender,

To give to my love,

And then he shall whisper,

“Tis you I dream of.”

The bees shall not wound him,

Though they pierce my gloves,

For this is the lavender,

I give to my love.

(Duet)

Roses and Lavender,

To give to our love,

Will he say “Dear Maiden,

Tis you whom I love”?

Whose wounds shall be mended?

Whose heart shall be wrung?

With roses and lavender,

We plead for his love.

With roses and lavender,

We plead for his love.