Lullaby

You were beside yourself,
you’d come to stay with your mum and dad
and they’d decided to take the opportunity
to go out and meet a friend for a couple of hours,
they were sitting on your bed and you were sobbing inconsolably,
so I talked them into leaving and said I would look after you,
even though I didn’t know if I could be any more help than them,
it was over 40 years since I’d had to soothe your dad to sleep,
but I got down on my old knees by the side of your bed anyway,
stroked your hair and sang a Woody Guthrie song to you;

Go to sleep you weary hobo
let the towns slip slowly by,
listen to the steel rails hummin’
that’s a hobo’s lullaby.

Thanks to Woody you calmed down,
I watched you as you fought off the sleep,
watched until eventually it got the better of you
and your breathing became deep and even,
I didn’t want to leave you any more
than I suppose you wanted me to go,
so I just stayed there
looking at your beautiful face,
filled with light in the darkness.

DF. S-S 2025 XXXV/VI