BALLAD FOR EASTER
Jean Ritchie

A young man came a-riding, a-riding into town;
They tore down leaves to line the way his beast did walk upon.
His eyes were warm and friendly, his smile was bright and free.
He was the fairest young man that ever I did see!

Although he was so lowly, and seated on a mule,
Some said that he was holy, some said he was a fool.
Some fell upon their bended knee. Some, angry, cried aloud.
He smiled his blessing on them all, and went on through the crowd.

Sometimes he preached; sometimes he prayed; sometimes he healed the lame.
The sick, the blind, the hungry-- they all did praise his name.
The many called him welcome, and some did dance and sing.
With Hosannas and Hosannas, they made the world to ring.

He went into the supper hall, broke bread amongst his friends.
There Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and John, the twelve did talk with him.
At length he said to Judas, "Rise quickly. Go, and do,"
For he knew full well (though Judas not), both lives would soon be through.

Then James and John and Peter went out with him to pray.
But sleep did overtake them, beneath the olive tree.
He cried and prayed alone there, in sweet Gethsemane:
"Oh Father, give us strength to bear what we must bear today."


Judas came unto him,
Led the crowd up to him;
With a kiss betrayed him
Unto the Pharisee.
All crying, "Crucify!
For God he doth blaspheme."
Crying, "Crucify him,
For God he doth blaspheme!"


His friends all in confusion did hide or run away.
The soldiers bound him prisoner; he nothing then did say.
They led him to the trial, the hall in madness rung.
And "Crucify him, crucify!" was heard on every tongue.


"Oh, alone... oh, alone...
Though I see ten thousand standing all around me,
Oh, I'm alone."

When Jesus stood before the judge, they said, "What have you done?"
To answer might have saved his life, but answer he made none.
"Are you the son of God?" "I am," then, his ringing answer came.
And they hung that man upon the cross for the telling of his name.


"Oh, alone... oh, alone..."


They called for Pontius Pilate to have this man condemned.
"What wrong has this man done to you? I find no fault in him!
Go bring to me some water-- for I wash my hands of all."
Then Pilate he went homeward, and Jesus stands alone.

Oh, alone. He walked all the way to Calvary's mountain, oh, alone,
"Oh, alone... oh, alone...
Though I see ten thousand standing all around me,
Oh, I'm alone."

To the cross they nailed him; with the thorns they crowned him.
"Father, O forgive them-- they know not what they do!"

"My God, my God in heaven, has thou forsaken me?"
'Tis then he drank the bitter gall and, next, forgave the thief.
"Now, son, behold thy mother," he said to loving John;
"Oh, Father it is finished! O God, thy will be done."


They laid him in the tomb, they laid him in the tomb.
Placed a guard around it and sealed it with a stone.
But he burst the bands of death! He burst the bands of death!
The tomb it could not hold him-- he burst the bands of death.

So early Sunday morning, Mary she came weeping.
Mary she came weeping just at the break of day.
"What's the matter Mary? What's the matter, Mary?
What's the matter, Mary?" "They stole my Lord away!"

"He's risen from the dead, he's risen from the dead.
Run and tell the people he's risen from the dead!
He's risen from the dead, he's risen from the dead.
Run and tell the people he's risen from the dead!"

SH