Does anyone know the origin of this poem or one like it?

This is the one I have from 1987

In a park in which I dwell
I met a boy I loved so well
He took my heart away from me
Now he wants to set it free
He took a strange girl upon his knee
told her things he never told me
Went home crying on my bed
not a word to anyone I said
My mom came home that night
searching for me left and right
She went downstairs opened the door
saw me hanging not touching the floor
She looked down on the ground
a note she had found
"dig my grave
dig it deep
place a statue at my feet
on the statue place a dove
tell the world I died for love"

A soldier boy came home one night
to find his house without a light
he went upstairs to go to bed
when a sudden thought entered his head

He went into his sister's room
He found her hanging from a beam
He got a knife and cut her down
And on her breast these words were found

I loved a sailor man so fair etc etc...

The title of this song is A maidens prayer . And the first verse is A man came home from work one night , to find his house without a light .

Mmmm, interesting how the words have changed/ been dropped/ been added to etc over the years. The song may have been called " The Maiden's Prayer" but it was a also known as "The Sailor's Lament".

I first learned this song around 1972 - taught to me by my father (Korean War Veteran - Royal Australian Navy). I then taught my younger sister and we've been singing it together ever since. I sang it at my dad's funeral and sadly, in two days time will probaby do so again at my sister's funeral. The words have no real bearing but the song was special to us.



She was a maiden pure and fair
Who came from high society
He was a sailor brave and bold
Who took that girls virginity

Her apron strings were white as snow
She used t tie them in a bow
But now her apron strings won't meet
She met that sailor on the street

Her father came home late one night
He found the house without a light
He went upstairs to go to bed
when a sudden thought came to his head

He went in to his daughter's room
He found her hanging from a beam
He got his knife and cut her down
And on her breast this note he found

Oh father dear, I cannot stand the shame
To bear this child without a name
So dig my grave and dig it deep
And place white lilies at my feet

He dug her grave, he dug it deep
He placed white lilies at her feet
And on her breast he placed a dove
To show that she had died for love

So all you maidens bear in mind
A sailor's love is hard to find
So if you find one that is true
Don't change that old love for a new

Hi i wrote this story down tonight which came to me from the 60s but mine is a bit different to yours a man came home from work one night to find his house without a light he went upstairs to his daughters room to finnd her hanging from a broom he got a knife and cut her down and on her chest these words he found oh daddy dear i died in vain to bare a child without a name so dig my grave and dig it deep and place white lillies at my feet so he dug her grave and dug it deep and placed white lillies at her feet and at my hed a turtle dove to show the world i died for love so all young lovers bare in in mind a sailors love is hard to find so if you a love thats true dont change the old one for the new I hope this has helped you not sure it is all the right words .

hope this helps you, as this is the poem or song I grew up with, from my older brother, who use to sing it to me when he came home on leave from the army,, A SOLDIER BOY CAME HOME ONE NIGHT, TO FIND HIS HOUSE WITHOUT A LIGHT, HE WENT UPSTAIRS TO GO TO BED,,WHEN A SUDDEN THOUGHT CAME TO HIS HEAD, HE WENT INTO HIS DAUGHTERS ROOM,, AND FOUND HER HANGING FROM A BEAM,,HE TOOK HIS KNIFE, AND CUT HER DOWN, AND UPON HER BREAST THIS NOTE HE FOUND,,OH FATHER DEAR I DIE IN SHAME ,I BARE A CHILD WITHOUT A NAME, SO DIG MY GRAVE AND DIG IT DEEP, AND PLACE WHITE LILLIES AT MY FEET, SO HE DUG HER GRAVE AND DUG IT DEEP, AND PLACED WHITE LILLIES AT HER FEET, UPON HER BREAST A GOLDEN DOVE,,TO SHOW THE WORLD SHE DIED FOR LOVE, ,,,,,,,

These are the words I know from a song my Dad used to sing.

A father he came home one night,
To find his house without a light;
He went upstairs to go to bed,
When a sudden thought came to his head.

He walked into his daughter's room,
And found her hanging from a beam;
He took his knife and he cut her down,
And on her breast this note he found.

My love was for that sailor boy,
Who travels far across the sea;
Sometimes I've often thought of him,
But I know he never thinks of me.

I wish my baby had been born,
Then all my troubles would be o'er;
But tell my love we'll meet again,
Over yonder on that golden shore.

So dig my grave and dig it deep,
And place white lilies at my feet;
And on my breast a turtle dove,
To show that I have died for love.

We dug her grave and we dug it deep,
We placed white lilies at her feet;
And on her breast a turtle dove,
To show that she had died for love;
To show that she had died for love.

It is on you tube sung by The Dorymen it's called A Miadens Prayer, My Dad used to sing it with a more country sound and I still like his version better, however enjoy I am only glad it existed b'cos the lyrics are so touching and I always enjoyed harmonizing with dad bless his soul.

First heard this when I was doing national service in the army at Kunsebeck Germany (westphalia nr. Beidefeld) in 1958. Great singer from Manchester -Terry (Mac) Macdermot' He sang 'A man came home etc.' No mention of babies, just missed letters. Known to us as 'Soldiers Love'. Always brought the house down not to mention the tears!

This is the nearest version I have heard, to the one I heard forty odd years ago. The difference being " a father came home one night, and a sailors love is hard to find. Thanks for the memories
Rob McA

This is the version I was taught:
A working man came home one night
To find his home without a light
He went upstairs to go to bed
A sudden thought came to his head

He went into his daughter's room
And found her hanging from a beam
He took a knife and cut her down
Upon her breast a note he found

Oh daddy dear, I die in shame
To bear this child without a name
So dig my grave and dig it deep
And lays white lilies at my feet

He dug her grave and dug it deep
And laid white lilies at her feet
Upon her chest he place a dove
To show the world she died for love

So all you Loyals bear in mind
A virgins love is hard to find
So if you find one good and true
Don't try to change her ways for you.

I don't believe this is the original because I've heard it, I personally prefer this version - from some soldiers actually.

I heard this when I was young in 1990 but it is different than what you have.

In a path where I once dwell
I met a boy I liked so well
He stole my heart away from me
Said he's never set me free
Until that one day
He sat a strange girl upon his knee
Told her things he never told me
At night I went to cry in bed
Not a word to mother I said
Father came home late that night
Searched for me from left to right
Opened my door in which he broke
Seen me hanging from a rope
With a knife he cut me down
On the dresser a note was found

It read:
"Dig me a grave
Dig it Deep
Place a marble stone
From my head to my feet
On that stone place a Dove
To show the world that I died for love"

I have a hand written copy of this poem but I do not remember writing it. I can not remember where I got it from but it is over 30 years old. I have no title and no references. I am upset because people are claiming as their own on another site. That is just not right. In the park where I dwell is the one I have.

Ok the original is from 1890. The words have been changed over the years but it was a song The Butcher boy.

Yours is the version I learned over 50 years ago that came from Nova Scotia, Canada.
I sing it to my grand kids to help them fall asleep.

The differences I learned are:
A father, he staggered home one ...
Dear God I cannot bear the shame...
And all you good girls bear in mind that a good man now is hard to find.

This is so cool to find because I, living in Toronto in 1960's, thought my step sister, from Nova Scotia, had made it up.

The version I know is a little different.
In a park where I do dwell, I met a boy I loved so well. He sat a girl upon his knee and told her things he'd never told me. Now I know the reason why, For that girl was prettier than I. I went straight home and to my bed, not a word to mother I said. My father came home late that night and looked for me from left to right. Up the stairs the door he broke, and saw me hanging from a rope on the dresser he found this note " dig a grave and dig it deep with marble stone from head to feet and on the stove carve a dove to show the world I did it for love.

A nice version by Jean Ritchie. I looked this up because I found it referenced in Lassie Come-Home (the traveling potter sang it).

https://youtu.be/ftPwWuQ-IUI

The words I know are:

My father came home last one night
& found the house without a light
He went upstairs to go to bed
A sudden thought came to his head

He rushed into my sisters room &
found her hanging by the neck
He cut her down, but she was dead
& on her breast, this note he read

Oh father, father, dig my grave
Dig it deep & dig it wide
& on the top, put a little white dove
To show that I gave died for love

when I was young, in the 80's I found a hand written copy in my basement. It read slightly differently.
In a park where I do dwell, I met a boy I loved so well. He sat a girl upon his knee and told her things he'd never tell me. I ran straight home to cry in my bed not a word to my mother had I said. my father came home late that night, looked for me from left to right. Up the stairs my door he broke to find me hanging from a rope. "Oh dear daughter what have you done? You killed yourself for some mans son". On my dresser this note he found. "Dig my grave, dig it deep, marble stone from head to feet. on my grave place a dove to show the world I died for love".

My grandmother sang these words to me 50 years ago. Thank you. This is the version I remember... now just the tune.....