Mama Says Om - Lullaby

It's September, and there are slow turnings all around us, shorter days and longer nights, a gentle harvesting and cooler evening temperatures, great trees slowly withdrawing nutrients from their leaves, looking inward and downward to their roots and sliding into a deep restful slumber.

Who sings a lullaby to the woodland in autumn? Is it the stately herons, geese and loons on their flight south? Is it the little green frogs who dwell in the Clyde river and the coyotes on the hill at sunset? Is it the iridescent barn swallows all lined up in choirs on rural telephone wires and eager to migrate? Who sings a lullaby to the flocks of departing birds and the "soon to hibernate" residents of hedgerow, field and marsh?

I hadn't thought about lullabies in some time, but looking back at the multitudinous bedtimes of small brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, children and (now) grandchildren, it seems to me that George Gershwin's beautiful lullaby from Porgy and Bess has always been the preferred lullaby in our family, and Cleo Laine's rendition is the best, one sung (unlike my own rendering for little ones at bedtime) in a voice that warm, resonant and spun of pure velvet.

Summertime, and the living is easy.
Fish are jumping, and the cotton is high.
Your daddy's rich, and your mama's good looking,
so hush little baby, don't you cry.

One of these mornings, you're going to rise up singing.
Then you'll spread your wings, and you'll take to the sky,
but till that morning there's nothing can harm you
with your daddy and mama standing by.

Summertime, and the living is easy
Fish are jumping, and the cotton is high
Your daddy's rich, and your mama's good looking
So hush little baby, don't you cry

Written for the lovely mamas at Mama Says Om.