A lover’s voice calls out, gentle and insistent, asking the beloved to meet in a secluded green valley. The place is alive with personal history—the elm tree, the hawthorn bush, the sweet briar that smells “so sweet agen.” These aren’t just pretty scenes; they are landmarks of a shared past, each one a touchstone for memory. The repetition of the invitation creates a tender, almost hypnotic rhythm, as if the speaker is trying to conjure the beloved’s presence through sheer devotion. There’s a deep ache of longing here, but it’s wrapped in calm patience and a profound intimacy with the natural world. The sunset that “glows like a fire” transforms the glen into something holy, a hushed space where love and landscape merge. The overall mood is one of quiet reverence, hopeful anticipation, and a love that feels as unchanging as the earth itself.
Meet Me in the Green Glen — Summary
Love, meet me in the green glen, Beside the tall elm tree, Where the sweet briar smells so sweet agen; There come with me, Meet me in the green glen.
Meet me at the sunset Down in the green glen, Where we've often met By hawthorn tree and foxes' den, Meet me in the green glen.
Meet me in the green glen, By sweet briar bushes there; Meet me by your own sen, Where the wild thyme blossoms fair. Meet me in the green glen.
Meet me by the sweet briar, By the mole hill swelling there; When the West glows like a fire God's crimson bed is there. Meet me in the green glen.