Crosswise from this thought I had an image of my father, standing in the doorway of my childhood bedroom and singing the only lullaby I ever needed or wanted as a child, "Ol' Sleep Tight", which my dad made just for us (for he is a composer, you know). I will sing this song for my children (and I will add a verse of my own), for it is a song full of light and the promise of a bright new day to come.
Mary would have had no comfort such as this for her son, and it must have been a crushing sadness to deal with. So out of all of this came the words for a christmas carol which I hope to set to music this year some time (I have to finish the Phos Hilaron I've been writing for 2 years first). This is not the final draft of the text (it needs a first verse - I think the two verses I have now are verses 2 and 3), and it's just a working title, but it's getting there. I would love to hear commentary.
The Grieving Mary
Be thou at peace, Shalom, my son
God ease you on your way
Through you alone is His will done
Oh my dear son, lulay.
Would that god could spare you
for all the world's grief bear you
now in your mortal hands
and though my son it cost you all
to leave the comfort of the stall
you must the burden stand
refrain
Go forth and be their saviour
if this be your life labor
it must be as god wills
be not to love a stranger
if only in a manger
among the shepherd hills
refrain
4 comments:
I like it! It scans well, and given your context, the lyrics suggest that Mary is trying to comfort herself as much as the baby.
I was confused by the line "be not to love a stranger" -- is this a typo? Did you mean "be now to love a stranger"? Enlighten me, when you have a minute!
Thanks for your kind words!
What I am hoping is to convey a cold comfort indeed - more of a feeling that Mary understands the necessity of her son's birth, but what mother, holding her infant son in her hands, would want anything but joy and happiness for her child? And what mother wouldn't weep against the dark path a child such as hers is going to tread?
For Mary has been told her son will be the king of kings, etc. Quite a burden for an infant, and given that most rulers at the time tended towards Herod's style of leadership (and were profoundly avaricious of that prerogative), Mary must have known that there would be many hands, hearts and wills turned against her son - and scarce little of love. So the emotion she has for this verse is, I want you to know love, even if only here in this place, if only for this brief moment in time - for I fear you will be a stranger to love the rest of your days. Be not a stranger to it here and now.
Oh! I see. I was interpreting that line as expressing her thinking contrary to the central commandment of Christianity, which is "love one another." (Including strangers.) And since that commandment is framed as God's will, the content of the previous line of lyrics led me to that misunderstanding. Thanks for clearing it up.
The line about be not to love a stranger didn't make sense to me upon reading the lyrics. However, your explaination did make sense. Maybe more clear to say "let love not be a stranger." I am impressed and jealous if this just sprung fully formed from your head.
We sang a song with a verse with a similar feeling, in the orange book.
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