Ten Thousand Pearls

Most of you reading this (if anyone is reading this) have blogs of your own and know how much you can over-think what to title it - as though anyone cares about the title as much as you do, but it's just how we are, so whatever.  I thought for weeks what nom de plume to give this little endeavor, and came up with a phrase from a text that I've loved for a few years.  I read it shortly after becoming a mother in 2009, and was reminded of it when The Disney Channel featured it in a poetry segment.  (Yes, sadly, the bulk of my literary exposure these days comes from there.  Moving on.)  The last two lines wedged a place in my heart in the simple yet ineffable way these things sometimes do.  As my maiden post, I give you, "Mother's Song" ...

Mother's Song, a Traditional Lullaby

My heart is like a fountain true

that flows and flows with love to you

as chirps the lark unto the tree

so chirps my pretty babe to me 

There is not a rose wherever I seek

as comely as my baby's cheek

there's not a comb of honey bee

so full of sweets as babe to me

There's not a star that shines on high

is brighter than my baby's eye

There's not a boat upon the sea

can dance as baby does to me

No silk was ever spun so fine

as is the hair of baby mine

My baby smells more sweet to me

than smells in spring the elder tree

A little fish swims in the well

So in my heart does baby dwell
A little flower blows on the tree
My baby is the flower to me

Ten thousand parks where deer do run

Ten thousand roses in the sun

Ten thousand pearls beneath the sea

my babe more precious is to me.

* * *

I dedicate these writings to my more-precious-than-pearls babies, whom I hope will one day read them,  and be able to catch at least a glimpse of the beauty and wonderment they show me every day.