The Reaper and the Flowers lyrics

There is a reaper whose name is Death

And with his sickle keen

He reaps the breaded grain at a breath

And the flowers that grow between

There is a reaper whose name is Death

And with his sickle keen

He reaps the breaded grain at a breath

And the flowers that grow between

Shall I have naught that is fair?, saith he

Have naught but the breaded grain?

Thought the breath of these flowers is sweet to me

I will give them all back again

He gazed at the flowers with tearful eyes

He kissed their drooping leaves

It was for the Lord of paradise

He bound them in his sheaves

My Lord has need of these flowerets gay

The Reaper said and smiled

Dear tokens of the earth are they

Where he was once a child

They shall all bloom in fields of light

Transplanted by my care

And saints upon their garments white

These sacred blossoms wear

And the mother gave in tears and pain

The flowers she most did love

She knew she would find them all again

In the fields of light above

Oh not in cruelty, not in wrath

The reaper came that day

'Twas an angel visited the green earth

And took the flowers away

'Twas an angel visited the green earth

And took the flowers away