The Birds’ Carol

December 25, 2020 by GriffinPoetry

The Birds’ Carol
Lyrics: Bill Griffin . . . . . . . . . . Music: Mark Daniel Merritt

Elkin Community Chorus
51st Annual Christ Concert / December 4, 2011
Director: David L. McCollum / Piano and Organ: Amy Tayloe and Amy Johnson

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By 2010 Linda and I had been singing for several years with VOCE, Surry County’s invitational chorale, directed by Sandy Beam and assisted later by Mark Merritt. Mark is a talented composer and had asked me before for lyrics. That spring VOCE had been invited to perform at Bilmore House in Asheville, NC, during the Christmas season and Mark wanted to create a suite we could debut there. The Birds’ Carol is the first of three movements in The Wanderer’s Carols. The following year David McCollum selected The Bird’s Carol for Elkin Community Chorus’s 51st Annual Christmas Concert.

. . . . . . .

The Birds’ Carol

“Morning! Morning!” trills the lark, “The Babe brings gold to the sky!
A song of light now showers the earth, And we shall know God this day.

Now is the dawn of our new life,
And we shall know God this day.”

“This coat I wear,” caws the rook, “So black, so heavy, so grim.
Only One knows the way to make it bright – The Child who reclaims us from sin.

He lifts our burden upon himself,
The Child who reclaims us from sin.”

“Come rest with me,” coos the dove, “In this humble stable take ease.
Kings and shepherds together embrace The Prince who unites us in peace.

You make us one in all the earth,
O Prince who unites us in peace!”

“I . . . Thou, I . . . Thou,” vow the geese From dark earth to heaven above –
“May we join with Thee in a world made new; May we fly forever in love.

Give us wings of Your perfect light,
And we’ll fly forever in love.”

. . . . . . .

VOCE of Mount Airy performing The Birds’ Carol, November 14, 2010, Winston-Salem First Presbyterian Church:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDPm6MYvacA&feature=related

Discussion of the symbolism of Lark, Rook, Dove, Goose:
https://griffinpoetry.com/2011/12/17/joy-hope-peace-love/

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Posted in Christian themes, Imagery, music, Photography, poetry | Tagged Bill Griffin, Bill Griffin Photography, birds, Birds' Carol, Christmas, David McCollum, Elkin Community Chorus, imagery, Mark Merritt, nature poetry, poetry, Wanderer's Carols | 16 Comments

16 Responses

on December 25, 2020 at 3:47 pm | Reply Deborah Miller

Beautiful!

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- on December 25, 2020 at 4:22 pm | Reply GriffinPoetry
  
  Merry Christmas, Deborah! Bill
  
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on December 25, 2020 at 4:08 pm | Reply wblackley

Just love your talent with words and human relationships. Best, Bill

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- on December 25, 2020 at 4:23 pm | Reply GriffinPoetry
  
  Thanks, friend. Hope you’ve had some wonderful “visits” with Molly and Seth and the entire clan today. See you in the woods soon . . . Bill
  
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on December 25, 2020 at 5:06 pm | Reply Sharon

Many thanks, Bill, for the gift of your words, images, singing, and open-hearted sharing! Warmest wishes to you and your loved ones on this Christmas Day— Sharon

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- on December 25, 2020 at 5:55 pm | Reply GriffinPoetry
  
  Merry Christmas to you and Bobby, Sharon, and all your family. Singing is what we miss most during pandemic Christmas but we’ve listened to every old tape, LP, and CD we could lay hands on! Love — Bill and Linda
  
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on December 26, 2020 at 12:13 pm | Reply Becky Mitchell

What a wonderful blessing! Thanks you for sharing this beautiful gift. Merry Christmas and best wishes always. Paul and Becky

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- on December 26, 2020 at 5:11 pm | Reply GriffinPoetry
  
  Thank you Becky and Paul! Wonderful to hear from you — Happy New Year of safety, health, and peace. BILL
  
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on December 26, 2020 at 7:46 pm | Reply Diana Pinckney

Ah, Bill, what a lovely Christmas gift to all of us. The lyrics are so like your poems, your writing. So very lovely and listening to The Birds Carol made my season bright enough to carry through until 2021. New Year, New Hopes,
Blessings, Diana

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- on December 26, 2020 at 8:27 pm | Reply GriffinPoetry
  
  Diana, thank you, you’re so kind. I guess music is one thing that can carry us from dark days into light. Peace to you in 2021, Bill
  
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on December 27, 2020 at 1:08 pm | Reply Priscilla Webster-Williams

Bill, your lyrics and the lilting tune convey the joy and peace of the Christmas season. I also enjoyed reading the link about traditional symbolism of the birds in you poem. This posting of yours bring to mind your book in which each poem features a bird. Thanks for sharing all of these with us!

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- on December 28, 2020 at 2:33 pm | Reply GriffinPoetry
  
  Priscilla, thanks for your kindness and a very inspiring NEW YEAR to you and Earl. Bill
  
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on December 28, 2020 at 1:28 pm | Reply Pat Riviere-Seel

Beautiful, Bill! The lyrics, the music, the voices. Thanks so much for sharing. Ed and I remember what a treat it was to hear you and Linda sing with VOCE at the Biltmore House.Wishing you and Linda a joyous New Year. Love, Pat & Ed

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- on December 28, 2020 at 2:34 pm | Reply GriffinPoetry
  
  Thank you, my friends and family! We were just looking at some of those photos from Biltmore and hoping we’ll be singing together in 2021. Linda and send you both our love. BILL
  
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on December 29, 2020 at 11:52 am | Reply Mary Jane Western

Just when I was missing the Community Chorus voices this year, your email caught my eye! Thank you, thank you! It means to hear those voices! Love to Linda and family!

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- on December 29, 2020 at 12:49 pm | Reply GriffinPoetry
  
  Thank you Jane, good to hear from you. Linda and I wish you the peace of birds in the new year.
  
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