Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Rocking Reuben

Just over a month ago our friend Gavin and his wife Liz had a baby boy.

Gavin posted about it, saying that he'd "spent hours out of last night rocking Reuben", and that it sounded like a song title.

It does.

And it's been rolling around in my head ever since.

I emailed a copy of the song-without-melody to Gavin this morning, and warned that I'd be posting it, despite the ongoing dispute Randall and I are having about the number of rhyming lines... (he thinks there should be four)

It brings me back to those wonderful first nights with my babies; when we were a world unto ourselves.

A gift to Gavin and Liz, but also to me.

* * * * *

Rocking Reuben

The wind in the treetops is whispering by

And diamond-like stars in the inky-black sky

Dance lightly and brightly to heaven while I'm

Rocking Reuben

*

An island of lamplight surrounded by dark

The mantle clock ticks, keeping time with my heart

And everything else fades away when I start

Rocking Reuben

*

My heart in my hands has gone gently to sleep

Marooned in this darkness where histories meet

I murmur his future and past while I keep

Rocking Reuben

*

Now humming a blessing, a soft lullaby

His baby breath blows on my neck with a sigh

And I'll stay, while moon, stars and darkness pass by,

Rocking Reuben.

* * * * *

Happy birth day, Reuben North Jensen.

October 31, 2009.

Welcome.

8 comments:

  1. Your creativity never ceases, does it?

    I started singing it to the tune of "Rockin' Robin" in which case you WOULD need 4 rhyming lines. But your words are far too gentle and poetic to be sung to that song. :)

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  2. For some reason I totally thought I had read this on Dad's blog. And I thought it very strange that he had written a song for Gavin's baby, since he doesn't seem to be the song-writing type. At least not the type who would share that in public. Not a song for someone else's baby.

    Anyway, I digress...

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  3. I'm with Dix. I start saying it all nice and wavy-like, then rock out to "rocking Reuben". Very nice! :)

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  4. Loved it! I'm sure Rueben's parents love it more. Very cool.

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  5. WOW! You are so talented, Lauralea. It's a wonderful gift to Gavin--and thanks for sharing it with us too!

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  6. I showed the poem/song to Liz last night. She LOVED it.

    Thanks so much, Lauralea. This is a great gift to us.

    Love you.

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  7. Robin "likes" this...oh wrong website. Well I still like it!! You are so talented! :)

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