Love Letter

[bnewman]

A song for the Jewish holiday of Shavuot (which celebrates the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai and also the full flower of Spring), retelling the Exodus narrative by way of a more Song-of-Songs-ish metaphor, and finally a very Reconstructionist twist.

lyrics and music by Benjamin Newman

listen to this song

/ G - / C G / / C D /

 

I was in a tight spot

Until you brought me out of there

Into the open air

The first day of spring

 

It was ready-or-not

We left in such a panic

You said "Quick, pack a picnic!"

So what could I bring?

 

/ C - G - / C - D - / G D C G / C - D - /

 

I threw one box of crackers on top of my knapsack

You said you would take care of the rest

And we gathered spun sugar in the middle of nowhere

Have I ever told you you're the best?

 

We ran up the hill

You said "Come follow me, my dear

You can see the whole world from here

But first close your eyes"

 

Everything was so still

You gathered me close to you

Were you working your way up to

Some big surprise?

 

You wrote me a love letter there on the hill-top

And my heart opened up like a seed

And the love in the air was so real I could touch it

As I sat down and started to read

 

The whole tale was right there

Of how we got together

The best love story ever

At least, it seems so to me

 

In the fragrant spring air

Your words rose to remind me

It took your love to find me

And that love set me free

 

Then I turned the next page and saw big, legal words

Lists of rules and a thin, dotted line

Dear, you have my devotion without reservation

But is this something I'm supposed to sign?

 

Now, you've told me how putting

Our promises in writing

Won't make love more exciting

But it will help it last

 

I admit that I'm feeling

A little resistance

I need legal assistance

'Cause this contract is vast!

 

Please don't say you expect me to take this or leave it

'Cause I love you too much to say no

And, while most of these points have my total agreement

There's a few bits that just have to go

 

I've occasionally heard

That law doesn't endear

And that what we have here

Is a contract dispute

 

We both know that's absurd

Would I be here redacting

A contract this exacting

If love hadn't borne fruit?

 

/ " / " / " / C G C G / C D - - / - G - - /

 

I just feel that true partnership can't be one-sided

That's why I'm taking out my red pen

We can talk this thing through, we can write it out new

Write it over and over — 'cause I'll love you forever —

Each time falling in love with you all over again