Bird, nanny bird
Sing me a song
Soporific to my children

Sing them a song
A song to bury their empty bellies
Until they smile and sleep

Sotto voce, sing them a song
A song of our mothers, fathers
A song of the past

Hide some lanterns in them
That in the darkest shades of life
They’re fireflies of love

Oh, sing them a childly song
So I’ll say
Bird, nanny bird.