From the recording 12 Months a Year
Originally written at the Slumberbardy songwriting workshop held by Bill Sutton & Brenda Sinclair Sutton, Dec 8-9 2018. There was a houseful of bards and novices in every corner, writing & composing.
I had written the first line and the image stuck with me hard. The words began to tell the story of La Befana, the old witch from Italian folk tradition who leaves candy or coal in children's stockings, but the song strayed from the path to became a story about holding your ground when you're "already found."
Lyrics
It was a dark and stormy day and she was glad
Because it matched down to each blowing leaf the mood she had
She had a dark and stormy way that made her smile
A little thunder for the chaff she swept away awhile
Leave me in peace
No I will not go to seek
What I've already found
Leave me in peace
As I sweep, sweep, sweep
Out with the old
In with the new year crowned
A crowd began to pass her by and still she swept
When they called out to her she stood and her own threshold kept
The crowd began to thin till she was left alone
To watch the sunset when the winter birds had all but flown
Leave me in peace
No I will not go to seek
What I've already found
Leave me in peace
As I sweep, sweep, sweep
Out with the old
In with the new year crowned
A star above her in the evening sky appeared
It shone as boldly as the ones before now disappeared
The star above her in the darkness burned so bright
Taking its place among a billion suns of love and light
Leave me in peace
No I will not go to seek
What I've already found
Leave me in peace
As I sweep, sweep, sweep
Out with the old
In with the new
Out with the old
In with the new
Out with the old
In with the new year crowned