I know this is an old thread. I was looking for the meaning of the demo version from 1971. The lyrics are sung by a female voice and are slightly different from those quoted above (eg. final verse says 'a man newborn' and ends 'and you in/and the corn stood tall'). I don't think the lyrics' meaning has been captured fully above. Although it's still a mystery to me, I feel like a closer interpretation is 'the best season for everything' eg. the time is right when it's spring, the corn is tall, and the man is newborn (ie. has come of age). I agree that the 12 dons being seasons seems to fit more with the song's themes than any other meaning. The imagery feels pagan and Christian (a straw/wicker man, a crucifixion), but also seems to correlate to the seasons and the fertile/barren periods of the land and people. In its own way the song feels like a caution to women to choose all things in good time. The refrain 'you're only a bag of rags' being softened in the final verse also seems like a nod to the way that some things only make sense in the right time, and that to a woman in spring, the man in his prime, even in overalls, has an appeal and dignity.