This is my favorite poem in the whole entire world.
Where the daisies laugh and blow
Where the willow leaves hang down
Nonny, nonny, I will go
There to weave my Lord a crown.
Willow, willow, by the brook
Trailing fingers green and long
I will read my Lord a book
I will sing my love a song.
Though he turns his face away
Nonny, nonny, still I sing
Ditties of a heart gone gray
And a hand that bears no ring.
Water, water, cold and deep
Hold me fast that I may sleep
Death with you is hardly more
Than the little deaths before.
Lovely poem, isn't it? But what does it mean? And why does it mean a lot to me? Why?
I know this poem off by heart. I didn't make it up. In fact, I was reading this book called Killing Mr. Griffin and on the very last pages of this book, I found this poem. And that was about it. But what does it mean, really? You tell me.
Well, I'm just a girl with a big wild imagination. I'm concrete, not abstract.
Quo Girl Community Member 
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Community Member
She seems to be trying to win his heart, but he just turns away from her, uninterested. He doesn't love her back, so her heart has gone cold and gray, and the "hand that bears no ring" refers to the fact that he hasn't married her.
So tragically, it's too much to bear and she drowns herself. The pain of death seems nothing in comparison with all the "little deaths" she suffered from his not loving her back.
That's my quick interpretation! Maybe a little rough, maybe not terribly deep... *shrug*. Nice poem. Sweet and tragic. I still don't get the word "nonny" though. Someone she's addressing? A nonsense word? Hm.