To Tirzah

Song Meaning

The lyrics present a stark, almost defiant declaration of freedom from a maternal "mortal part." The opening lines establish a cosmic cycle: birth leads to consumption by the earth, a necessary process for generational renewal. This grand, impersonal truth immediately prompts the narrator's pointed question, "Then what have I to do with thee?" It suggests a rejection of the earthly, mortal ties represented by this maternal figure. The core tension arises from the narrator's perception of their "mortal part" being formed through negative forces. The "sexes" are born of "shame and pride," fleeting and ultimately dying, only to be re-formed by "mercy" into a state of "work and weep." This implies that the very foundation of mortal existence, including the narrator's own heart, was "moulded with cruelty" and obscured by "false self-deceiving tears," blinding their senses and betraying them into a flawed life. The most striking craft element is the direct address and accusation leveled against this "mother." The narrator claims this maternal figure "didst mould my heart" with cruelty and "didst blind my nostrils, eyes, and ears," even closing their tongue in "senseless clay." This personification of a life-giving force as a source of deception and limitation is powerful, framing mortal birth not as a gift but as a betrayal. Ultimately, the lyrics' effectiveness hinges on this dramatic pivot. The narrator finds liberation not through reconciliation but through a radical severance. The "death of Jesus" is presented as the catalyst for this freedom, allowing the narrator to finally disavow the "mortal part" and its perceived cruel origins. The repeated, emphatic question, "Then what have I to do with thee?" lands as a final, resolute excommunication.