THE IS
The Queen is in the chamber
and she was middling low
Her pretty coat was satin
and her stomach was cold
Backward and forward
and sideways did she pass,
Making up her mind to face
the cruel -looking glass,
The cruel -looking glass
that will never show her loss,
As calmly or as kindly
or as young as what she was.
The Queen was in her chamber,
a -combing all her hair.
Up came Queen Mary's spirit
and it stood behind her chair.
Singing backward and forward
an d sideways may you pass,
but I will stand behind you
till you face the looking -glass.
The cruel looking glass
that will never show a loss
As lovely or unlucky or as lonely as I was
The Queen was in her chamber,
a weeping baby saw
A gay Lord Lester's spirit
and it scratched upon the door
Singing backward and forward
and sideways may you pass
But I will walk behind you
till you face the looking glass
The cruel looking glass
that will never show a lass
As hard or unforgiving or
as wicked as you was
The Queen was in her chamber,
her sins were on her head
She locked the spirits up and down
and stately she said
Backward and forward
and sideways I have been
But I am Henry's daughter
and I am England's Queen
And then she faced the looking -glass,
And whatever else there was,
She saw her day was over,
And she saw her beauty passed.
In the cruel working class,
that can always hurt a lot
But how doth any ghost address,
for any man there was?