Hunted down I came upon
A place of ferns and grass
Gathered to a redbud tree
And now their footsteps pass
Where I crouch in dread
Discovery my certain death
Bur leaves reaching for my head
As I suspend my breath
Redbud tree shelter me shelter me
Redbud tree shelter me shelter me
Those days of fear are gone
Yet I am pledged to her
As to my only one
My lovely protector
Redbud tree shelter me shelter me
Redbud tree shelter me shelter me
Redbud tree shelter me shelter me
Redbud tree shelter me shelter me
Mark Knopfler’s music is so great because there is such a sense of deep meaning behind the lyrics as well as multiple interpretations. A red bud tree blooms in the early part of spring I believe April through May. It has a heart shaped leaf and the flowers are absolutely beautiful and I believe they are even edible. The first impression I got when I listen to this song for the first time was that it was an animal that had been either shot or wounded or just plainly being hunted and ran to hide when it found this red bud tree. After the hunters lost it, it possibly made its home underneath there afterwards because it found safety there....for the rest of its life.