ballad.

mrs. adelaide wore a flowered cream dress
her feet pale and bare
a modest woman 67 years of age
found in her cottage, hardly elsewhere

a grand machine of ivory bone dressed in black wood
announces melodies to the world
thick walls and a cold autumn floor trap the music in
one night, she pushed the keys and a story unfurled

the song she composed depicted the romance of a young king
king frederick, the freckled
the servant annabelle was his part-time lover
their love was hidden and mufflled

a starry night the two snuck into the farmer's barn
they crossed fred's 20 acre lawn
climbed a metal staircase to a haystack bed on the second level
and made precious love until dawn

king fred's wife giselle knew what had been going on
however, she did not fight
the next time her husband left with annabelle
she would set the barn alight

giselle's plan worked so very much to her liking
in tragic agony, the two lovers died
after that night, giselle was sent to jail by the farmer
she was sentenced to drink a cup of sulfide

the songs of mrs. adelaide usually end quite sadly
those who listen tend to ask why
from experience, i can tell them all with strong confidence
mrs. adelaide dreads that death is nearby