Lioj Gardens, Lioj Evening lyrics and meaning

This sutartinė, with the refrain "vokaro," can be understood as a lullaby-like song of care for parents. A white bed is made, the mother is lulled to sleep, and a little mint is planted; the singers ask whether the mint blooms, whether it smells sweet, whether the mother sleeps, and answer that it blooms, smells sweet, and sleeps. The image suggests a tender putting-to-rest of the mother, paired with flowering mint.

In the second part the same structure moves to the father: the bed is made, the father is lulled, and southernwood is planted; again the singers ask whether the plant flowers and whether the father sleeps, and answer yes. The parallelism presents care for both parents through their pairing with plants.

A second reading hears mint and southernwood not only as fragrant garden herbs but also as grave and remembrance plants in Lithuanian tradition, planted on graves. In that light, the making of a white bed, the parents' "sleep," and the planting of blooming herbs over them may be read as a subtle image of death and memory. The question "does mother sleep?" becomes a gentle metaphor for death - sleep as dying - while mint and southernwood become grave herbs. In this reading the lullaby-like sutartinė turns into a quiet lament and act of respect for dead parents, softening death into calm, fragrant sleep.