“How Could I Ever Know?” by Lucy Simon and Marsha Norman

“How Could I Ever Know?” is a song from the musical “A Secret Garden,” which opened on Broadway in April 1991 and closed in March 1993. The show is based upon Frances Hodgson Burnett’s book of the same title. It was published in serial form in 1910 and in its entirety in 1911.

Credit: explorebuxtonderbyshire.co.uk

“The Secret Garden” tells the story of Mary Lennox, a 10-year-old girl whose parents died of cholera while living in India. Mary is whisked off to live with her morose uncle Archibald, who is still grieving the death of his wife. Mary soon discovers that she also has a sickly cousin, whom her uncle keeps hidden from the world.

From listening to the servants talk, Mary learns that her uncle’s wife, Lily, had a special garden that she loved.  But one day while visiting the garden, she was sitting on the branch of a tall tree when the branch broke and she fell. Mortally injured, Lily held on long enough to give birth to her son but died soon after. Mary’s uncle then ordered the garden locked up and threw away the key.

After weeks of searching, Mary finds the key and enters the secret garden. She works hard to restore it to its former glory. She even coaxes her cousin to come with her to the garden and to help her tend it. As he gets out more, his health begins to improve.

But her Uncle Archibald is still sad and bitter. He blames Lily for leaving him so abruptly and for continuing to haunt his memories. He is thinking about suicide when he is confronted by Lily’s ghost:

How could I know I would have to leave you?

Frances Hodgson Burnett
(Credit: listal.com)

How could I know I would hurt you so?

You were the one I was born to love

Oh how could I ever know? How could I ever know?

Archibald still believes he has nothing left to live for, and Lily entreats him:

Forgive me, can you forgive me

And hold me in your heart?

And find some new way to love me

Now that we’re apart.

She also urges Archibald to return to the secret garden. When he arrives there, he finds Mary and her cousin, now completely restored to health. The end of the show finds him forming new and loving relationships with Mary and his son. His grief over Lily’s death has been turned to love.

“How Could I Ever Know?” is truly a gift to those who are feeling anger or hurt in response to a loss or for those who are stuck in their grief process. If you haven’t had a chance to hear it yet, listen to the version in the video below.