Esther
Katie Noonan Lyrics


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I stole two piece of lace it was a short fall from grace
15 years old, a child sent away
A child I was but a mother to be as well
Newgate Gaol walls my babies's first home

New South Wales bound on the Lady Penryhn we were
Below the water line, 100 women, my daughter and I
16, 000 miles, 8 months this dark, dank hole
Starvation and disease knocking at our door

This is a woman's story in a man's time
This is a gentle face in a brute world

Then I saw your eyes, kindsp and fair blue
A Lieutenant above the decks but by cape town our love was true
But the sadness in this land runs so deep
In the penal hell hole I strive to make my home

But as the corpses pile high, our blessings are many
7 children, a home and a farm
Though charged with mutiny, here I am free
And almost 30 years since we met, I finally marry thee

This is a woman's story in a man's time
This is a gentle face in a brute world

Leaden Hearts
What is this place how hard is my fate?
How galling this chain round my neck?
Now I am bound to slavery
‘Til I regain my liberty

Once i was a tender child on my mother's knee
But now I am prison bound for slavery
No pen can write, no tongue can tell
The aching heart that bids farewell
Forget me not

When this you see, remember me
Though many miles we distant be
When this you see, remember me
When this you see, remember me
Please bear me in your mind
I'll love til death shall stop my breath

Weep not for me with this heavy heart
I am confined here with grief
Though time may fly and hopes may die
And joyful dreams may set, you I'll never forget

May time roll on, quick though it flew
My love's constant true to you
‘Til I am free and me you see
No pen can write, no tongue can tell
The aching heart that bids farewell
Forget me not

When this you see, remember
Though many miles we distant be
When this you see, remember me
When this you see, remember me
Let not absence banish our love




Cause I'll love til death shall stop my breath
I'll love til death shall stop my breath

Overall Meaning

"Esther" is a tribute to the true story of Esther Abrahams, a young woman who was born in London in 1767 and, at the age of 15, was convicted of stealing two pieces of lace and sentenced to 7 years of transportation to New South Wales, Australia. Esther was pregnant at the time of her arrest and was forced to give birth to her daughter aboard the Lady Penrhyn, one of the 11 ships that sailed with the First Fleet to establish a British penal colony in Australia.


The song follows Esther's journey, from her imprisonment in Newgate Gaol, to her transportation to Australia, to her eventual release and building a new life with her family. Throughout the song, Katie Noonan highlights the brutality of life at this time for women, and especially for women like Esther, who were separated from their families, stripped of their dignity, and sent to a distant and unfamiliar land with little hope of return.


Despite the song's somber themes, it celebrates Esther's resilience and determination, as well as her love for her family and her eventual triumph over her difficult circumstances.


Line by Line Meaning

I stole two piece of lace it was a short fall from grace
She stole lace and got in trouble for it, but it wasn't a big deal.


15 years old, a child sent away
She was very young when she was sent away from home.


A child I was but a mother to be as well
She was still a child herself, but she was also pregnant.


Newgate Gaol walls my babies's first home
Her baby was born in prison.


New South Wales bound on the Lady Penryhn we were
She was being transported to New South Wales on a ship called the Lady Penryhn.


Below the water line, 100 women, my daughter and I
They were kept in the lower decks of the ship, with 100 other women, including her daughter.


16, 000 miles, 8 months this dark, dank hole
The journey was long and unpleasant.


Starvation and disease knocking at our door
They were at risk of dying from starvation or disease.


This is a woman's story in a man's time
She is telling her own story, which is not often heard in history books.


This is a gentle face in a brute world
She is a kind person in a harsh environment.


Then I saw your eyes, kind and fair blue
She fell in love with someone who was kind and had blue eyes.


A Lieutenant above the decks but by cape town our love was true
He was a Lieutenant on the ship, but they fell in love in Cape Town.


But the sadness in this land runs so deep
The place they were in was very sad and depressing.


In the penal hell hole I strive to make my home
Even though she was in a terrible place, she tried to make it feel like home.


But as the corpses pile high, our blessings are many
Despite the death and suffering around them, they were still grateful for what they had.


7 children, a home and a farm
They had many children and a place they could call home.


Though charged with mutiny, here I am free
Even though she was accused of mutiny, she still felt free.


And almost 30 years since we met, I finally marry thee
They got married almost 30 years after they first met.


Leaden Hearts
Their hearts were heavy with sadness.


What is this place how hard is my fate?
She was wondering where she was and how bad her situation was.


How galling this chain round my neck?
She was frustrated by the chain around her neck.


Now I am bound to slavery
She was forced to be a slave.


‘Til I regain my liberty
She hoped that one day she would be free again.


Once i was a tender child on my mother's knee
She remembered being a happy child with her mother.


But now I am prison bound for slavery
She was now in prison and forced to be a slave.


No pen can write, no tongue can tell
Her sadness was indescribable.


The aching heart that bids farewell
Her heart was full of pain as she said goodbye to her loved ones.


Forget me not
She wanted people to remember her even if she was far away.


When this you see, remember me
When people see something that reminds them of her, she wants them to remember her.


Though many miles we distant be
Even if she was far away, she still wanted people to remember her.


Please bear me in your mind
She wanted people to think of her and remember her.


I'll love til death shall stop my breath
She will love people until she dies.


Weep not for me with this heavy heart
She didn't want people to be too sad for her.


I am confined here with grief
She was sad and trapped in her current situation.


Though time may fly and hopes may die
Even though time passes and she loses hope, she remembers the people she cares about.


And joyful dreams may set, you I'll never forget
Even if she is no longer happy, she will always remember the people she loves.


May time roll on, quick though it flew
Time passes quickly.


My love's constant true to you
Her love for her loved ones is always true.


‘Til I am free and me you see
She wants to be free and reunited with her loved ones.


Let not absence banish our love
Even though they are far apart, she wants their love to continue.


Cause I'll love til death shall stop my breath
She will always love the people she cares about, even if she dies.




Writer(s): Katie Anne Noonan

Contributed by Isabelle P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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