FAWM: "Under a pepper tree"

Under a pepper tree

There is no demo for this song.

Liner Notes

This is a reworking of a 2021 lyric I hadn't the heart to put to music. I should, so I'm putting it up now as a prompt to myself (probably won't happen this FAWM), especially after reading https://write.fawm.org/songs/313691 which nailed the #grief associated. #rest #loss I'd better add: the death was in 1977. Some things never can really be cured. You learn to live with it. The old notion of "just get over it" has on-going impact and bad effects. At least nowadays people are more honest. Seeking "closure" isn't quite the right way of putting it, implying that a door can be shut when it can't.

Lyrics

Our firstborn son lies under a pepper tree
In a quiet corner
Just through the fence
The railway line
And the interstate station
In later years the starting point for family holidays
Children and laughter, but two, not three

Our son lies under a pepper tree
In a quiet corner
lies with other poor waifs
in that small quiet corner
More than thirty thousand

Most now unregarded or little recorded
The stillbirths, the newborn deaths
The died in early infancy.
Some remembered by their parents
Some proclaimed by small memorial
Some too long ago for any now living to know.

Our firstborn son lies under a pepper tree
in a small quiet corner
Nearby the trains roll past
And families alight for their holidays

Comments

@kahlo2013 11h

Oh, Tim, this touches my heart and reaches in deep. Part of my job many years ago was to examine stillborn babies and babies that died at birth to determine possible etiologies as well as to spend time with the birth parents allowing them to spend time with their baby and to take photos and/or locks of hair if they wanted. Each of those families live in my memory and heart. I’m sorry that you experienced that loss and that you hold the memory in your heart and thoughts.

@blindkiwi 12h

This is so touching to read Tim. I understand the hurt never goes away, I have lost 2 brothers in my lifetime but before that mum had lost another at birth, she included him in her prayers every night up until she passed at 97.

I know it will be hard to put to music and it is extremely personal but I would love to hear it when you finally record it.