Ballade At Thirty-Five

Intro: B

B                  B7
This, no song of ingenue
E                  Eb
This, no ballad of innocence;
G#m                  E
This, the rhyme of a lady who
C#m               F#
Followed ever the natural bents.
B               B7
This, a solo of sapience,
E                  Eb
This, a chantey of sophistry,
G#m                 E
This, the sum of experiments,
C#m                F#         B
I loved them until they loved me.
                     B7
I loved them until they loved me.
E                     Eb        G#m, E, C#m, F#
  I loved them until they loved me.

B                     B7
Decked in garments of sable hue,
E                      Eb
  Daubed with ashes of myriad Lents,
G#m               E
  Wearing shower bouquets of rue,
C#m              F#
  Walk I ever in penitence.
B                 B7
 Oft I roam, as my heart repents,
E                       Eb
 Through God's acre of memory,
G#m                      E
  Marking stones, in my reverence,
C#m                F#         B
I loved them until they loved me.
                     B7
I loved them until they loved me.
E                     Eb        G#m, E, C#m, F#
  I loved them until they loved me.

         Eb         G#m
Pictures pass me in long review,--
         E          F#     B
Marching columns of dead events.
      Eb           G#m
I was tender, and, often, true;
       C#m           F#
Ever a prey to coincidence.
B                  B7
 Always knew I the consequence;
E                    Eb
 Always saw what the end would be.
G#m                   E
  We're as Nature has made us -- hence
C#m                F#         B
I loved them until they loved me.
                     B7
I loved them until they loved me.
E                     Eb        G#m, E, C#m, F#
  I loved them until they loved me.

B                  B7
Princes, never I'd give offense,
E                      Eb
 Won't you think of me tenderly?
G#m                         E
  Here's my strength and my weakness, gents -
B                  B7
This, no song of ingenue
E                  Eb
This, no ballad of innocence;
G#m                  E
This, the rhyme of a lady who