This Saturday, Life Cycle – music by Emily Hall, words by me – is being performed in a new orchestral version by the Aurora Orchestra. This is happening at King’s Place. The wonderful Mara Carlyle is singing, and the brilliant John Reid is playing piano.
In advance of that, I thought I’d post some lyrics that I wrote for the song cycle (which is about motherhood), that didn’t end up being used.
If you’d like to listen to the whole thing, it’s on bandcamp and spotify.
The Things I Can’t Forget
The speeding car
the traffic jam
the who we are
the who I am
the rushing in
the waiting room
the pushing when
the boom-boom-boom
but most of all I can’t forget
the things which haven’t happened yet.
The gripping hand
the feeling worse
the midwife and
the second nurse
the breathing in
the blowing out
the seething pain
the growing doubt
but most of all I can’t forget
the things which haven’t happened yet.
In time long gone, in time to come,
I am your home, I am your home
The meeting you
the sensing then
the passing through
the moment when
the eye so clear
the eye so bright
the fading fear
the pure delight
but most of all I can’t forget
the things which haven’t happened yet.
The beating heart
the size and weight
the time apart
the time and date
the golden light
the sight and feel
the holding tight
the right and real
but most of all I can’t forget
the things which haven’t happened yet.
In time long gone, in time to come,
I am your home, I am your home
The newest new
the oldest face
the welcome to
the human race
the life, the laugh
the given name
the photograph
the tiny fame
but most of all I can’t forget
the things which haven’t happened yet.
In time long gone, in time to come,
I am your home, I am your home
tobylitt 
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