I thought it might be a good idea to post the words to the song. I wrote it for our grandchildren. On Christmas Eve we dance around the tree, holding hands, and sing Christmas songs. Our children speak Danish, and can sing the Danish songs, but the grandchildren can't. We sing the English Christmas songs and carols, but our only Solstice song is in Danish. I like to remember that Solstice has been celebrated long before Christmas was. I like to think of the sun turning back to us on that one, special day and night, so I wrote this Solstice song.
I had imagined the melody as the usual da daa da daa of 'I saw three ships' or 'Noel, Noel'...When Harley said she'd written the melody, that was what I expected.
And then this afternoon I called Harley and heard my song transformed to a thing of beauty. I am completely bowled over by the way it sounds, by the way Harley sings it. I did not know that it would fit such beautiful music. Harley doesn't just sing my song, she interprets it so very beautifully.

THANK YOU HARLEY.

SOLSTICE

On the shortest day each year
in our northern hemisphere
The winter sky is grey and bleak
The winter sun so pale and weak
Is late to rise and soon to bed
In her golden winter sled.
Her canopy of rosy clouds
gives way to night and icy crowds
Of stars and constellations.
She does not linger here, instead
She brings the antipodes her light
For they have day while we have night
and summer weather warm and bright
for christmas celebrations.
While penguins frolic down below
We have night and frost and snow.
Polar bears won’t see the sun
Until winter’s dark is gone

But tonight the sun will start
Her return to our part
Of the world and here she’ll stay.
Linger longer every day
Growing strong and warm and red
Early rise and late to bed
she will banish dark and cold
and make winter lose its hold.
That is what the christmas tree
green and beautiful to see
In the midst of winter drear
Promises us every year
Spring will not forget to spring
All the little birds will sing
There’ll be butterflies and flowers
bright long days and summer showers.
And the polar bears will play
in the endless light of day

birte