Sweet and Low

Sweet and low, sweet and low,
Wind of the western sea,
Low, low, breathe and blow,
Wind of the western sea!

Over the rolling waters go,
Come from the dying moon, and blow,
Blow him again to me;
While my little one, while my pretty one sleeps.

Sleep and rest, sleep and rest,
Father will come to thee soon;
Rest, rest, on mother's breast,
Father will come to thee soon;
Father will come to his babe in the nest,
Silver sails all out of the west
Under the silver moon;
Sleep, my little one, sleep, my pretty one, sleep.

    This wee lullaby from Tennyson's long poem The Princess is so sweet, that having heard it read by my mother, this writer has read it many times since his childhood.  Tennyson thinks of a mother in England and a father who is somewhere on the broad Atlantic, but he is coming home to his little one.  The mother dreams only of the home-coming of her husband, and she wishes the baby to learn to love its father as much as she does, so as she sings the little one to sleep, she pours out her love for both in beautiful melody.

    Tennyson has chosen simple words that have rich, musical sounds, that can be spoken easily and smoothly and that linger on the tongue. When you read the lines do you feel the gentle rocking movement that lulls the little one, the pretty one into its gentle sleep?

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An Advocate, by Denny Lancaster
210429

We sense pain from those who bear,
yet have not lived in a body so fair,
and in our heart we try to show care.

If we could take our possessions,
give to a worthy cause to bear,
would this act show that we care?

Then we think an effort so small,
compared to wealthy men and women,
would not truly help very much at all.

Alas, a voice deep within us did say,
each of us can make a difference,
just take time to do something today.

But with so many needs in the world,
which ones should we choose,
some needs will win, others will loose.

And then the "voice" spoke again,
a vivid picture of a dear friend,
this is where you should begin.

Be an advocate for a dear friend,
champion their cause with your heart,
and in their quest, never to depart.

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