Sing Me A Song

By DH

Sing me a song that’s soft for my ears
A melodic one I can share with my peers
Harmonize with my heart and remove all my fears
Your tender words are like hands
So wipe away my tears
The tears of a boy who can’t cry without shame
Or the tears of a man who can’t live without pain

Sing me a lullaby so real I can touch it
Make it delicate and smooth
But be patient don’t rush it
Bring it into existence
Like giving birth without pushing
It should happen cautiously
Like swimming without looking

Sing me a lyric followed by many more
That isn’t filled with destruction and doesn’t talk about war
It never accompanies violence
Just truth, compassion and love
Can’t even exist with hate
And sets my soul free as a dove

4 Comments

  1. CP on July 21, 2015 at 1:24 PM

    DH-

    I really like this poem, particularly the notion of being sung to sleep. Somehow you imbue this poem with the idea of being a child, when everything seemed easier or more innocent. I like the images that you use in your poems; they are always so stark and refreshing.

    I like the part particularly, where you say “Bring it into existence/Like giving birth without pushing/It should happen cautiously/Like swimming without looking.”

    You really are so brilliant with words, your poems are all very profound. This one was on the surface a peaceful and thoughtful poem, yet by the end it made me feel sad and melancholy.

    Please keep writing.

    -CP

  2. Brian on July 30, 2015 at 2:44 PM

    Dear DH,

    My name is Brian, and I am a high school English teacher living here in D.C. Thank you for sharing this poem. The beauty of poetry is that it can address, at the same time, a particular person and a more general, abstract entity. Here, you are addressing, perhaps, someone specific that you had in mind, but the real power of the poem, for me, comes from the idea that you are expressing a general longing, a longing for someone, anyone, to come and sing to you. You express the possibility that anyone is capable of such peaceful sweet songs, if only we try. The wonderful truth here is that you yourself are capable of such songs through your beautiful poetry. You have a gift, which contains the power to provide the comfort that you yourself seek. This poem in particular flows like a song, with a gentle but organized rhyme scheme, full of images and metaphors that effectively convey what you’re feeling. I hope that you can find someone to “harmonize with [your] heart” – such a beautiful phrase.

    Keep writing!

  3. Rev. Belle Fox-Martin on September 22, 2015 at 6:20 PM

    Wonderful poem. This poem holds the reader/me in the tenderness of a lullaby while speaking of hard/raw feelings. The juxtaposition of emotion is lovely.

  4. Rachael Sandri on March 10, 2016 at 6:59 PM

    Dear DH,

    Thank you for sharing your beautiful poem. I really love that you chose to express your yearning for a song through poetry because it has a lyrical feel but lacks the melody so the reader feels that yearning for the missing piece too.

    Please keep writing. I would love to read more.

    Your fan,

    Rachael

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