Tuesday, November 06, 2007

WI: Unforgettable


I have lots of "unforgettable" things in my life. Lately I forget a lot of things: doctor's appointments, returning phone calls, where I've put my car keys, and leaving WalMart--where I've put my car! But most of the important, really important, things are unforgettable: The blue of my dad's eyes, the freckles on my mother's face, the sound of their voices, the day my husband proposed to me, the birth of each of our five boys...when the boys were little, at bedtime we had a litany of songs. This is one I sang to them for years and years. It's a poem of William Jay Smith's, and we had a recording of it on an album by Carly Simon called "The Lobster Quadrille." The cover was red. It is "unforgettable."

A PAVANE FOR THE NURSERY

Now touch the air softly,
Step gently. One, two...
I'll love you till roses
Are robin's-egg blue;
I'll love you till gravel
Is eaten for bread,
And lemons are orange,
And lavender's red.

Now touch the air softly,
Swing gently the broom.
I'll love you till windows
Are all of a room;
And the table is laid.
And the table is bare.
And the ceiling reposes
On bottomless air.

I'll love you till Night
Rips the stars from his coat,
And the moon rows away
In a glass-bottomed boat;
And Orion steps down
Like a diver below,
And Earth is ablaze,
And the Ocean aglow.

So touch the air softly,
And swing the broom high.
We'll dust the gray mountains,
And sweep the blue sky;
And I'll love you as long
As the furrow the plow,
And However is Ever,
And Ever is now.


(Even as I type this, the melody still runs through my head. I would be interested to know if any of my boys still remember it, too?)

.

13 comments:

Head Cookie said...

What a great thing to remember and I bet if you ask the boys they do to remember it just as well as you.

Tumblewords: said...

I absolutely love this post!

Jo said...

Gorgeous, the post and the poem! I sing Speed Bonnie Boat to my boys, though I made up different verses.

Cherie said...

Totally beautiful post - hope you ask the boys! Thank YOU!

wendy said...

i bet they remember each and every word...

Anonymous said...

Very sweet post....

Crafty Green Poet said...

I'm sure they remember...

Kay Cooke said...

Do you sing it to your grandchildren now? What a truly lovely song.

Pam said...

A very touching, beautiful song, wish I knew the melody, for I'm going to pass the words on to all of my grandchildren.

The photograph of you and your brood is priceless, I love it.

I talked to Robin on the phone and they are getting settled in. I can't wait until she is back online, I miss our daily connection very much.

Anonymous said...

Such a beautiful song/ poem, may I borrow this to sing to my daughter? Thank you for sharing.

Joyce Ellen Davis said...

Thanks, everyone who came by for this. I was looking around the internet, and I see that album has been reissued. It has a number of really really great songs on it, if you are interested in hearing them. I used to sing them all, and yes, I have sung this one to my grandchildren!

slickdpdx said...

That album was by the Simon Sisters, Carly and her sib! It ought to be reissued...has it really?

Anonymous said...

What lovely lyrics. I am now looking for the album - I must have the melody too!

No grandkids right now - I wonder how my cat will like it? :)

How greatly your children and grandchildren must know you love them.