SPIRIT SONGS FOR ANZAC EVE

Wind sounds on Mt Ainslie, Canberra
above the Australian War Memorial

CHORUS OF WOMEN
Whispers in the wind
Sighing in the trees
We hear spirit women
calling for their children in the night

On Anzac Eve
near the lantern light
Spirit mothers keening
as the dark mountain breathes

A SPIRIT MOTHER
Lulay my boy Are you come to me?
Oh, come to me!
In the dream of death
I heard you crying far away
Child, you were crying!
Oh my son, you were dying!
Oh, gone to war far away
Lulay lulay lulay

ANOTHER SPIRIT MOTHER
Our women and our children
Around the fire we mourn
Crying and weeping our tears of loss
Of loss so great

Our fire, our fire
The ancestors are here
The flames reach to the sky
As we cry, and we cry

CHORUS OF WOMEN
On Anzac Eve
near the lantern light
Spirit voices singing
to the people in the night

SPIRIT MOTHERS AND CHORUS
Oh, Sorrow of the Earth!
Oh, Sorrow of the mothers!
Sorry songs - Love and longing
breathing in the wind sighing
Swirling round the flames
Sorry spirits moving
through the war time, death time
Still whispering the love
Lulay lulay lulay

People, hear the law
of the seeds in your lament
Dark seeds in the fire
humming like a new song growing
Opening with your longing
Sprouting in the night
Flowering new songs, old songs
the love songs
Lulay, lulay, lulay