Green Sky Press — All of Our Days

"Sim sammy satter, jen jimmy jatter,"
Heads close together, the women all say.
"Noon nilly natter, hearts are what matter,
If you would love us all of our days."

Tom was a good lad, never a sad lad,
Always a smile and a kind word.
Starlight and moonbeam, lost in a daydream,
Walked in the wood and spied a fair maid.

"Shim silly shammer, glim gilly glamour,
No use to stammer," sang the elf maid.
"Dim duncey durking, I see thee lurking,
Numb ninnyhammer cannot catch me!"

Tom was a bold lad, never a shy lad,
Kissed all the girls in the country:
Sprang in the clearing, seized her white shoulders,
Got only air and maid mockery:

"Flim flinty flammer, man-minted manners,
Glib grubby grabber gaineth not me!
Mind, muddy mooner, some shimmer sooner,
Hum heady humor if you would be."

Tom was a daft lad, lovelorn and laughed at,
Seized by a vision of fairy beauty.
Children would follow, shouting and jeering
Words they imagined elf maids would say:

"Fim filly fotion, drown in the ocean,
I'll lift not a finger, you for to save.
Fum feeble frother, don't be a bother,
Brief candle-outer, get to your grave."

Tom was a craftman, always an apt man,
Built up a trap of wire and lace.
Cowslips and rose hips, fine yellow daffodils,
Lured lady elf love into that place.

"Now never nothing," whispered the lassy,
"My silly earthling," wasting away.
"Tulips uprooted fade in a moment,
Elf in a cage but briefly you'll see."

Tom was a sweet lad, never a cruel lad,
Tore up the cage and helped her to stand.
Into the wood he carried his lady,
Turned for a moment and then she was gone.

"Gone giddy gleamer far from the schemer,
Now that I'm free you'll never see me!
Sad silly sulker, drab scratch-the-dirter,
Hope all you want, I've nothing for thee."

Tom was a grim lad, heart all-a-dim lad,
Still left her flowers a year and a day,
Sugar and taffy, honey and comfrey,
Ribbons and bangles in that same glade.

"Shh sooey sisper," he heard the wind whisper,
"Shabble the shibble, shibber shub she."
Mice ate the candy, ants took the honey,
Birds with the ribbons built a nest in the tree.

Tom was a home lad, always-alone lad,
Opened his door and what did he see?
Cowslips and rose hips, daisies and tulips,
Fine daffodils and finer lady.

"Sim salla sindows, eyes are the windows,
Deeds are the proof and heart is the key!
Pick up your jaw and tell me this instant:
Faithful and patient man, will you love me?"

Tom is a gay man, wed-to-his-may man,
Elf-lass besotted all his days through.
Shrugs at the question shy boys will stammer,
Eve of their weddings, if he does rue.

"Wim willy wistry, read in your hist'ry,
Woman's a myst'ry, from the first day.
Your pretty sweetheart, my lady loveling,
If they do differ who is to say?"

"Fim fammy flatter, jim jenny jather,"
Heads close together, the women all say.
"Soon silly slather, hearts are what matter,
Now we will love you all of our days."

Copyright © 2002 by Green Sky Press. All rights reserved.

This song appears in Chapter 25 of my novel The Last-Minute Queen, performed by characters in the novel. This includes descriptions of the costumes they wear, the instruments they play, and the stage motions they use.