Wildwood Flower

He said he loved me,
Called me flower. He left me
To my darkest hour.

"Wildwood Flower" is an old song by the Carter Family. The flower is the singer, so recently in love with a charming swain, so cruelly abandoned. Dylan and the Band performed this song during the Basement Tapes sessions of 1967. The recording is available on the 11th volume of the Bootleg Series.

Oh, I'll twine with my mingles and waving black hair
With the roses so red and the lilies so fair
And the myrtle so bright with the emerald hue
The pale and the leader and eyes look like blue

Oh I'll dance, I will sing and my laugh shall be gay
I will charm every heart, in his crown I will sway
When I woke from my dreaming, my idols were clay
All portion of love had all flown away

Oh he taught me to love him and promised to love
And to cherish me over all others above
How my heart is now wondering no misery can tell
He's left me no warning, no words of farewell

Oh, he taught me to love him and called me his flower
That was blooming to cheer him through life's dreary hour
Oh, I long to see him and regret the dark hour
He's gone and neglected this pale wildwood flower