4/6/12

The Shortest Story

Were you feeling happy today? Maybe a bit cheerful? Perhaps this sunny, spring-like weather has your spirits up?
Well, let me fix that.
The Shortest Story
Harry Chapin

I am born today, the sun burns it's promise in my eyes;
Mama strikes me and I draw a breath and cry.
Above me a cloud softly tumbles through the sky;
I am glad to be alive.

It is my seventh day, I taste the hunger and I cry;
My brother and sister cling to Mama's side.
She squeezes her breast, but it has nothing to provide;
Someone weeps, I fall asleep.

It is twenty days today, Mama does not hold me anymore;
I open my mouth but I am too weak to cry.
Above me a bird slowly crawls across the sky;
Why is there nothing now to do but die?

Wait, wait! Don't run away! I'm sorry I just made you cry, Mom. But, well, you were talking about Harry Chapin and how his songs were never about popular things. And I thought of this one, which is something I've always kept tucked away in a sad little corner of my mind.
But I'm done with that, no worries.

2 comments:

roxie said...

Well aren't you a morbid little ray of grim reality? Thank God there's more to life than that. There really ARE daffodils, and baby lambs frolicking in green meadows, and pear and nutmeg upside-down cake cooling on my kitchen counter. It's ok to enjoy the good parts of life when they come around.

Donna Lee said...

That isn't one of his that I think of often since it's so anti what I believe. You know I'm a "miracle in every square inch" (thanks Em) kind of person.