WILLOW

*Osier*

BENEDICK

I offered him my company to a WILLOW tree,

either to make him a garland,

as being forsaken, or to bind him up a rod,

as being worthy to be whipped.

—Much Ado About Nothing [Act II, sc. 1]

NATHANIEL

These thoughts to me were oaks,

to thee like OSIERS bow’d.

—Love’s Labour’s Lost [Act IV, sc. 2]

LORENZO

In such a night

Stood Dido, with a WILLOW in her hand,

Upon the wild sea-banks.

—Merchant of Venice [Act V, sc. 1]

FRIAR LAURENCE

I must up-fill this OSIER cage of ours

With baleful weeds

and precious-juiced flowers.

—Romeo and Juliet [Act II, sc. 3]

CELIA

The rank of OSIERS by the murmuring stream

Left on your right hand, brings you to the place.

—As You Like It [Act IV, sc. 3]

DESDEMONA [SINGING]

The poor soul sat sighing by a Sycamore tree.

Sing all a green WILLOW;

Her hand on her bosom, her head on her knee,

Sing WILLOW, WILLOW, WILLOW.

The fresh streams ran by her,

and murmur’d her moans;

Sing WILLOW, WILLOW, WILLOW.

Her salt tears fell from her and soften’d the stones,

Sing WILLOW, WILLOW, WILLOW.

Sing all a green WILLOW must be my garland.

—Othello [Act IV, sc. 3]

GERTRUDE

There is a WILLOW grows aslant a brook

That shows his hoar leaves in the glassy stream;

There with fantastic garlands did she come

Of crow-flowers, nettles, daisies, and long purples

That liberal shepherds give a grosser name,

But our cold maids do dead men’s fingers call:

There, on the pendent boughs her coronet weeds

Clambering to hang, an envious sliver broke . . .

—Hamlet [Act IV, sc. 7]

EMILIA

I will play the swan,

And die in music. [sings]

WILLOW, WILLOW, WILLOW.

—Othello [Act V, sc. 2]

BONA

Tell him, in hope he’ll prove a widower shortly,

I’ll wear the WILLOW garland for his sake.

—Henry VI, Pt. 3 [Act III, sc. 3]

WOOER

Then she sang

Nothing but WILLOW, WILLOW, WILLOW.

—Two Noble Kinsmen [Act IV, sc. 1]

POST

[He repeats her words in a report.]

—Henry VI, Pt. 3 [Act IV, sc. 1]

VIOLA

Make me a WILLOW cabin

at your gate.

—Twelfth Night [Act I, sc. 5]

BENEDICK

Come, will you go with me?

CLAUDIO

Whither?

BENEDICK

Even to the next WILLOW,

about your own business.

—Much Ado About Nothing [Act II, sc. 1]

Though to myself forsworn,

to thee I’ll constant prove;

Those thoughts, to me like oaks,

to thee like OSIERS bow’d.

—Passionate Pilgrim