Favorite Poems

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    Press "play" to hear William Warfield singing "Simple Gifts"  

  Simple Gifts (Shaker song)

 

‘Tis the gift to be simple,

‘Tis the gift to be free,

‘Tis the gift to come down,

Where you ought to be.

 

And when we find ourselves

In the place just right,

‘Twill be in the valley

Of love and delight.

 

When true simplicity is gained,

To bow and to bend we shan’t be ashamed.

To turn, turn, will be our delight

‘Till by turning, turning we come round right.

 

'Tis the gift to be loved

and that love to return,

'Tis the gift to be taught

and a richer gift to learn,

 

And when we expect of o-thers

what we try to live each day,

Then we'll all live together

and we'll all learn to say,

 

'Tis the gift to have friends and a true friend to be,

'Tis the gift to think of others - not to only think of "me",

And when we hear what others really think and really feel,

Then we'll all live together with a love that is real.

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