Here’s another song, this one from the prominent New Zealand singer and songwriter Dave Dobbyn.
This is Dobbyn’s brilliant version of a poem by another great New Zealander, James K. Baxter .
The powerful auto-biographical song touches on two themes Baxter returned to over and again – Catholicism, and alcoholism.
Have a listen, read along in your own language, and enjoy!
When from my mother’s womb I came
Disputandum was my name.
Weeping hoping threatening
Beyond myself I had no king.
I drew in with each hour’s breath
The grey dust of the second death.
When my childhood days were spent
To Venus I grew suppliant.
Little tremors woke and died
Within the mountain of my pride.
Singing on the gallows cart
Created beauty held my heart.
The aardvark and the onager
Were stabled at my sepulchre.
In that deep den the King of bliss
Broke my heart and gave me His.
‘This for your doom and penance take,
Be merry always for My sake.’
He gave me a white stone to bear
With my true name written there.
Without end I will say,
Laus tibi, Domine! ( praise the Lord )
