To my children, while they sleep.

While there is joy,
laugh, my children, laugh.
Play childish games
and seek delight in simple things.
In curiosity and disobedience,
laugh, my children, laugh.

While there is music,
sing, my children, sing.
Follow your icons;
beauty, for yourselves, in all things seek.
The world is full of melody, so
sing, my children, sing.

While there is family,
shout, my children, shout.
Make yourselves heard;
pay no attention to our petty adult games.
The world will soon be yours,
so shout, my children, shout.

While there is comfort,
sleep, my children, sleep.
Dreams are forever; every
morning brings its share of joy and crying pain;
each evening calls to mind the things undone.
So sleep, my children, sleep.

Comfort can vanish with a morning's dew,
and lives you thought unchangeable will change.
Yesterday's rock can crumble to tomorrow's sand
and castles fall before the morning tide.

While there is comfort,
sleep,
my children,
sleep.

Kim Helen James 16/8/95