Synopsis
A man mourns his true love for "a twelve month and a day". At the end of that time, the dead woman complains that his weeping is keeping her from peaceful rest. He begs a kiss. She tells him it would kill him. When he persists, wanting to join her in death, she explains that once they are both dead their hearts will simply decay, so he should enjoy life while he has it.
The Unquiet Grave‘THE wind doth blow today, my love,
And a few small drops of rain; I never had but one true-love, In cold grave she was lain. ‘I’ll do as much for my true-love As any young man may; I’ll sit and mourn all at her grave For a twelvemonth and a day.’ The twelvemonth and a day being up, The dead began to speak: ‘Oh who sits weeping on my grave, And will not let me sleep?’ ‘’Tis I, my love, sits on your grave, And will not let you sleep; For I crave one kiss of your clay-cold lips, And that is all I seek.’ ‘You crave one kiss of my clay-cold lips; But my breath smells earthy strong; If you have one kiss of my clay-cold lips, Your time will not be long. ‘’Tis down in yonder garden green, Love, where we used to walk, The finest flower that ere was seen Is withered to a stalk. ‘The stalk is withered dry, my love, So will our hearts decay; So make yourself content, my love, Till God calls you away.’ |
Annotating the Ballad
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Thumbnailing
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Photos on the way to uniI was inspired by the barren foliage of January and February on the way to uni for the Unquiet Grave illustration.
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This 1600s illustration inspired the position of the lamenting lover, leaning on his wife's grave.
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This man's outfit inspired the lamenting lover's outfit.
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Scottish Gravestone from the 1600s
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Melrose Abbey- A Scottish abbey near the border
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Winding Sheet, how the dead were buried in the 1600s
Researching how people were buried during the ballad's setting, the wife would have been buried in a winding sheet. Thus I illustrated her in one for sitting on the tree.
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Creating Assets
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Creating Pages
I like how the page has turned out but the man isn't as legible as it could be. However this was the first of the pages that I had done at the time that I felt good about.I like how the page has turned out but the man isn't as legible as it could be. However this was the first of the pages that I had done at the time that I felt good about.
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Creating type for the Unquiet Grave.
The final spread for the Unquiet Grave
