01/27/2020
Wow! This poem hit me where it hurts (as I was told by parental figures not to 'dance in public'.) I could easily write a poem called "I Cannot Dance," and have written them on similar themes. But unlike Harleston, in this beautifully moving piece, I refuse to never sing again. I choose to fight for my expressions each new morning. I choose to accept what God says about me--that my voice & dance are good and pleasing to Him and encouraging/uplifting/healing/beneficial for others too.
To stop your singing or dancing or painting or other God-gifts, is to steal from the world, others, God and yourself what is a magnificent and Heavenly facility that only YOU can bring to this earth. So keep dancing, keep singing, keep moving. If you stop, that's when you cease to fully & truly live.
Everything that has breathe, praise the LORD.
I Cannot Sing
Edward Nathaniel Harleston
I cannot sing, because when a child,
My mother often hushed me.
The others she allowed to sing,
No matter what their melody.
And since I’ve grown to manhood
All music I applaud,
But have no voice for singing,
So I write my songs to God.
I have ears and know the measures,
And I’ll write a song for you,
But the world must do the singing
Of my sonnets old and new.
Now tell me, world of music,
Why I cannot sing one song?
Is it because my mother hushed me
And laughed when I was wrong?
Although I can write music,
And tell when harmony’s right,
I will never sing better than when
My song was hushed one night.
Fond mothers, always be careful;
Let the songs be poorly sung.
To hush the child is cruel;
Let it sing while it is young.
