Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[sejpdw]

Among the lyrics of Westlife's 'You raise me up', in "When troubles come and my heart burdened be", why is 'be' used instead of 'is'?

1) Just to have poetic effects regardless of grammar?
or
2) In the old days in this case, was 'be' used instead of 'is'?

[pugachevV]

It is the present subjunctive of the verb to be. It is dealing with a hypothetical situation ( when troubles come) and so is the correct mood of the verb to use.

However, you will rarely hear anyone use it except in exams.

There appears to be no reason for putting be at the end of the line instead of before burdened. Probably the writer liked it better, but it's not for the purpose of rhyming.
It is an archaic form of English, but still used in some parts of South west England, predominantly in rural areas.
e.g. I be up from Somerset. I be a farmer. She be a fine-looking woman.