Sonnet for Jason
With you this life has laughter and space
We forage fields of ferns for truth and quiet things
As owl’s eyelids close upon the day
And juncos hide treasures of youth who soon will grow wings and sing
On rocky slopes that slip beneath the sea
Where soil is tired and thin, a birch survives
Interwoven roots with fellow trees
Help the yellow birch to grow and glow and thrive
We’re rooted into one another’s souls
Where trust, and tears, and play are braids of love
And loons fill fog with haunting tremolos
And sedges sprout and bloom in shallow pools of mud
Truth and treasures dance in circles through each year
Within evergreens, fireflies, and us my dear
This was a sonnet, but I had to make some changes to mold it into a song. The word “sonnet” comes from the Italian, sonetto, meaning “a little sound or song”. I enjoy the structure of a sonnet, especially the Shakespearean style of four quatrains and then a couplet at the end. The rhyme scheme being: abab, cdcd, efef, gg.
As owl’s eyelids close upon the day. Years ago Jason and I watched a Barred Owl as she perched in an apple tree in a large field. We stared as she flew down to the ground, grabbed a mouse, threw it back into her throat like a shot of whiskey and then flew back up to her perch. She then sat in that warm afternoon sun and slowly let her eyelids close…. and then open…. then close…. and open…and so on. She finally gave in and let the deliciousness of an afternoon nap after a good meal take over. It was adorable and beautiful to behold.
Such a sweet photo. Very thankful to have found it. Bravo to Harvey Reed for capturing such a quiet and peaceful moment.
I know I still owe a song to you all, but I’ve been quite ill with a bad cold for the latter half of the month. I had to do many takes of this song to get it right. And I had to drink many cups of tea so I wouldn’t sound like a singing Wood Frog. Barely got through it, but glad it worked out.
Thank you for taking the time to listen and read. Feel free to share. Have a lovely Labor Day weekend.
This song is beautiful, Heather. And beautifully played, and beautifully sung. Wow.
You have graced my day with your song; thank you!