with huge debt of gratitude, and apologies, to WH Auden
Best read at between 109 - 120 BPM (Moderato) in the style of John Grierson's 1936 reading of WH Auden's Night Mail which can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmciuKsBOi0
This is the air-sleigh crossing the Borders, Bringing the toys north following orders, Presents for the young, presents for the good, Other people living in your neighbourhood. Glide over Melrose, early morning -- See ev'ry single home before day's dawning.
Through Caddonfoot and onto Loanhead, Bonnyrig's souls sleep sound in bonny bed, Sailing silently as air-mouses, Santa comes to all our houses.
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, now Vixen, Come Comet, come Cupid, Donner und Blitzen, Reindeer engines give the thrust, Route and direction faith and trust, In red-lamp lights of Rudolph's that have, Set-well Edinburgh, nasal SatNav.
Streets lead them, by roof-by-roof, Through patchwork city towns Old-New, Abbeyhill, Baberton, Balerno, Bonnington, Bruntsfield, Canongate, Corstorphine, Drylaw, Dumbiedykes, Eastfield, Ferniehill, Gorgie, Haymarket, Joppa, Lochrin, Marchmont, Niddrie, Oxgangs, Pilrig, Sighthill, to reach the prize, Of The Sick Kids.
Gifts to doctors, gifts for donors, Gifts of toys for girls and boys, Rubik’s Cubes and My Baby Pony, Hannah Montana Dolls or Upsy Daisy, And Rune Factory for Nintendo Wii, And Super Mario Galaxy, And music, music for all A&E, Tones inspiring, tones beguiling, Gifts of Fisher-Price Activity Centre, Gifts of robot kits for the inventor, Gifts of iPhone and iPod Shuffle, Gifts to fill stockings, what a kerfuffle, Gifts for comforting to hearten and embolden, Wraps so exciting and inviting --
Covered in colours from wonderful dreams, The lime, the amaranth, the corn and the creams, The coral, the laurel, the pine-green, tangerine, The bright and electric and the aquamarine, Azure, lemon, brass and jade, Tied with ribbon and label hand-made.
Childrens' dreams must happen, Never those paralyzing nightmares, These are happy worlds conjured from tales of Potters or Pooh-bears: "Asleep in working Glasgow, asleep in well-set Edinburgh," "Asleep in granite Aberdeen," "They continue their dreams," "And shall wake soon and long for" Santa, And none did hear his midnight call, Also his returning to North Pole, But who with gift can feel themselves forgotten?
Sleigh Mail
JF Derry (2009)
with huge debt of gratitude, and apologies, to WH Auden
Best read at between 109 - 120 BPM (Moderato) in the style of John Grierson's 1936
reading of WH Auden's Night Mail which can be viewed at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmciuKsBOi0
This is the air-sleigh crossing the Borders,
Bringing the toys north following orders,
Presents for the young, presents for the good,
Other people living in your neighbourhood.
Glide over Melrose, early morning --
See ev'ry single home before day's dawning.
Through Caddonfoot and onto Loanhead,
Bonnyrig's souls sleep sound in bonny bed,
Sailing silently as air-mouses,
Santa comes to all our houses.
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, now Vixen,
Come Comet, come Cupid, Donner und Blitzen,
Reindeer engines give the thrust,
Route and direction faith and trust,
In red-lamp lights of Rudolph's that have,
Set-well Edinburgh, nasal SatNav.
Streets lead them, by roof-by-roof,
Through patchwork city towns Old-New,
Abbeyhill, Baberton, Balerno, Bonnington,
Bruntsfield, Canongate, Corstorphine, Drylaw, Dumbiedykes,
Eastfield, Ferniehill, Gorgie, Haymarket, Joppa,
Lochrin, Marchmont, Niddrie,
Oxgangs, Pilrig, Sighthill, to reach the prize,
Of The Sick Kids.
Gifts to doctors, gifts for donors,
Gifts of toys for girls and boys,
Rubik’s Cubes and My Baby Pony,
Hannah Montana Dolls or Upsy Daisy,
And Rune Factory for Nintendo Wii,
And Super Mario Galaxy,
And music, music for all A&E,
Tones inspiring, tones beguiling,
Gifts of Fisher-Price Activity Centre,
Gifts of robot kits for the inventor,
Gifts of iPhone and iPod Shuffle,
Gifts to fill stockings, what a kerfuffle,
Gifts for comforting to hearten and embolden,
Wraps so exciting and inviting --
Covered in colours from wonderful dreams,
The lime, the amaranth, the corn and the creams,
The coral, the laurel, the pine-green, tangerine,
The bright and electric and the aquamarine,
Azure, lemon, brass and jade,
Tied with ribbon and label hand-made.
Childrens' dreams must happen,
Never those paralyzing nightmares,
These are happy worlds conjured from tales of Potters or Pooh-bears:
"Asleep in working Glasgow, asleep in well-set Edinburgh,"
"Asleep in granite Aberdeen,"
"They continue their dreams,"
"And shall wake soon and long for" Santa,
And none did hear his midnight call,
Also his returning to North Pole,
But who with gift can feel themselves forgotten?
-------------
JFDerry over 3 years ago