We Are Headed North

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“We Are Headed North”

Tell the ones who need to know, we are headed north.
A restless wind begins to blow. It’s time to sally forth.
Pack the wagons, grab the kids. The dogs can run behind.
We’re off to seek our fortunes where’er the road will wind.

Kiss your solemn mother’s cheek, for you’ll see her no more.
Your youth sealed up far in the past behind her closing door.
You are my wife, your life’s with me and ever it should be.
We’re off to find whatever future’s there for us to see.

See how the dogs never look back but run forever on?
What comes for them is what they seek and never what is gone.
So be my bonnie bride again and dry your sodden cheek.
We’re off into the rest of life—that golden life we seek.

Tell your mirthless father we’ll see him nevermore,
for all the truth he has professed is nothing more than lore.
The riches that he promised you never came to be.
So cast your lot with chance, my dear, and come along with me.

We’ll take our budding family to regions fresher still.
See the promise that awaits there on yonder hill?
We have another family waiting for us there.
A better life is yours to have if you only dare.

See how our children shout and smile ––reach out for their new kin?
That is my mother running out to wave them all within.
For every mother lost to you, you will find another.
My sister I will share with you, and mine will be your brother.

Come wipe the tear from off your cheek and gaily enter in.
For here in my house there is talk of other things but sin.
My father plays the mandolin and I will play the fife.
And then I know quick as a song, I’ll have a happy wife.

All the crying taught to you by sister, brother, father
will be forgotten. In this house, there is no fuss or bother.
Our children will not learn what you once learned at your ma’s knee.
My love step down and you will see how happy we will be!

Oh, step down my dear and see at last how happy we will be!

This is meant to be a song. Does someone want to set it to music for me???

The Prompt: Take the third line of the last song you heard, make it your post title, and write for a maximum of 15 minutes. GO! (My song was “I and Love and You” by the Avett Brothers. I took exactly 19 minutes, not 15, to write this poem.)https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/cant-drive-55/

16 thoughts on “We Are Headed North”

    2. lifelessons Post author

      I put off writing it all day because I couldn’t think of a recent song so just went to the first one that played on my playlist. It was “Hold On,” but just didn’t inspire me. I made several false starts but a busy day kept me from really getting into the prompt. Finally, last night, I remembered that someone had asked me to send him the name of my favorite album and that I’d mentioned “I and Love and You” as a favorite song and actually listened to it! So, I switched songs and the rest came easily. Only a small cheat in that I wrote for 19 minutes rather than 15. I think an actual ending warrants the extra 4 minutes.

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  8. Pingback: “We Are Headed North” reblogged | lifelessons – a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown

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