Lynda Johnson: Listen

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00000This song is from the book Sharlie. In the story, the eight sisters of Andala gather small shells from the beach, whisper a wish into them, and wrap them in a piece of cloth torn from their robes. They place the bundles in the shallow water along the shore, upon the river of moonlight that shines across the sea, all the while singing their ancient song of sorrow.
00000I started this song as I was sitting on the beach in Donnelly, Idaho, watching the moon rise. The reflection made a river of silver across the water.
00000I had just been reading about the moon. Long ago people believed that all things wasted on earth (time, worry, treasure, jealousy, unrequited love, unfulfilled dreams) were stored on its surface in earthen jars. How would it be if we could wrap our cares in a bundle and lay them on the moon's reflection, and then wait silently for Omesa to descend in the moonlight on her ghost-ship of white. She would gather all our worries and troubles onto her ship and carry them into the sky, away to the moon forever.

MOONBEAM RIVER

I wrapped my cares in linen
and I laid them on the shore
and rowed across the silvery light
a moonbeam river oh
and on the other side
I made a fire against the cold
and waited in the darkness
for the mystery to unfold

The wind began its whispering
a wildish lullaby
the song though silent in me
with the moonlight filled the sky
the waves began to murmur
and they gently touched the shore
beckoning me to dwell within
the mystery once more

And sorrow overpowering in
the glaring light of day
in the softness of a moonbeam river
slowly flowed away