The Cherry Tree Carol by L. Edna Walter
Mary and old Joseph walk in a garden; Mary asks Joseph to pluck cherries for her child, and he refuses unkindly. The cherry tree bows to Mary at her word, and she gathers the cherries herself.
By L. Edna Walter · First published 1922 · Genre: Carol, Religious Poetry, Nativity Literature · 254 words
First lines
[Music]
1. Joseph was an old man, / An old man was he; / He married sweet Mary, / The Queen of Galilee.
2. As they went a-walking / In the garden so gay, / Sweet Mary spied cherries / Hanging over yon tree.
3. Mary said to Joseph, / With her sweet lips so mild, / "Pluck those cherries, Joseph, / For to give to my child."
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Genres
- Carol — Explicitly identified as a carol in the title, with musical notation and lyrical structure designed for singing or recitation in religious or festive contexts.
- Religious Poetry — Centered on biblical figures Joseph and Mary with a miraculous divine intervention, establishing clear spiritual and theological themes throughout the narrative.
- Nativity Literature — Depicts the period surrounding Jesus's birth as a traditional Christmas carol, aligning with seasonal religious celebration and nativity narrative conventions.
- Folk Poetry — Exhibits archaic language, simple rhyme schemes, oral storytelling conventions, and traditional folk verse characteristics typical of passed-down folk traditions.
Tags
Christmas carol · Ballad · Folk tradition · Narrative verse · Stanzaic poetry · Virgin Mary · Joseph · Cherry tree · Garden · Galilee · Nativity · Miracle
What this Textopian page supports
The Cherry Tree Carol is listed on Textopian as a poem by L. Edna Walter, dated 1922 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: L. Edna Walter
- Date: 1922 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Carol, Religious Poetry, Nativity Literature, Folk Poetry, Narrative Poetry
- Length: 254 words
- Structure: 1 section, 8 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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- Work identity for The Cherry Tree Carol by L. Edna Walter
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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