“Thus says the Lord: A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more. Thus says the Lord: Keep your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; for there is a reward for your work, says the Lord: they shall come back from the land of the enemy; there is hope for your future, says the Lord: your children shall come back to their own country.” (Jeremiah 31:15-17)
There is a very poignant scene from the Walt Disney movie “Dumbo” in which Dumbo’s mother is torn from her little baby elephant and is imprisoned in a train car. In order to comfort her distressed infant, Dumbo’s mother sings the haunting song, “Baby now don’t you cry.” As I look at the evil that donald trump has caused in separating migrant mothers and fathers from their little children, I am reminded of that heartrending scene from “Dumbo.”
In my mind’s eye I see these distraught parents languishing in a federal prison for wanting to save their children from a world of horrific violence and despair. Their crime in making the arduous and dangerous journey to the southern borders of the United States was their hope that their children would be able to live peaceful, productive lives in a new land. And so, not knowing where the evil agents of the government have taken their children, they cry out this lullaby to their frightened child somewhere, hoping in some way their song might reach the heart of their child.
I pray to Almighty God that the prophecy of Jeremiah comes true, and these poor children separated so cruelly and heartlessly by trump and his administration will be returned to the safety of their parents arms.
Like most lullaby’s, this is in 3/4 meter. As a parent gently rocks a disquieted baby, so there is a gentle rocking feeling and motion to the music. It is in 3 part form. The A or first part is in the key of F major. The B or second part is in F major’s relative minor, D minor. Then the A part returns completing the song.
Rhythmically, to give that sense of a rocking motion, the left hand plays a repeated rhythmic figure, 1&, 2, 3, 1&, 2, 3 throughout most of A and B melodies. When the A melody returns at the end, the left hand plays an arpeggiated version of the chords (1&, 2&, 3&).
(c) 2018, Robert Charles Wagner. All rights reserved.
