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When I Sleep

from So Ends This Day by éilís kennedy

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Christopher Higgins
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about

The reality of separation is only bearable with strong bonds.

Letters were important in the lives of families and must have been a source of comfort when they eventually arrived. During the years of a voyage passing ships would exchange news at times.
According to Clement Cleveland Sawtell’s book “The Ship Alexander of New Bedford 1805 …1851” , in Banks Bay , in the Pacific ocean there was a whalemans post office in the form of a barrel on a stick , conveniently located on Charles island where letters for the whale fleet were deposited by vessels arriving from home , and others picked up by ships homeward bound

In the many letters I read while researching in the library of New Bedford’s Whaling Museum the wistful and restrained nature of women’s words to their husbands really touched me.
Whaling captains were frequently three or four years at sea at a time . At home the wife would run the household , and often had extended family members sharing the home. Some took in lodgers or had small holdings and others acted as surrogates in their husbands business dealings . For wives at home , the spectre of widowhood was ever present . In fact, the phrase Cape Horn Widow was a common one in those times .
Reading actual letters inspired me to write this song . A hugely helpful resource , however, was the book My Dear Husband Being a Collection of Heretofore Unpublished Letters of the Whaling Era
One such was Phebe Gifford Sherman to her husband James and includes the line
“last night I shortened the four years by calculation like this – 2 years , 8 months only for active life if in bed by 10 and up at 6. When asleep I shall not realize your absence “




Eamon Mc Elholm : Piano Gerry O ‘Beirne : 12 String Guitar
Vocals / Chorus : Rita Connolly

lyrics

My dearest William , I have received your letters
It fills my heart with joy this news to learn
Your precious life preserved amid a thousand dangers
I pray it will be so till you return

Snow bears witness to the depth of winter
And when I speak , a breath of frost does call
Your Father took a cold ,and bides by the fireside
Our own dear son grows healthy, strong and tall

And when I sleep I don’t realise your absence
I hear your step and see your cheerful face
The wind and waves subside
And all the house is silent
The day begins and quiet you steal away.

I threw some leaves into the brook this morning
To see them sail along the silver stream
I take more notice now of things pertaining
To water’s journey toward the open sea

And when I sleep I don’t realise your absence
I hear your step and see your cheerful face
The wind and waves subside
And all the house is silent
The day begins and quiet you steal away.

The barley flourishes, the corn is very large now
Our sweet ,sweet son is handsome and he’s strong
I took your overcoat , for to give it airing
In hope Dear William , that you are homeward bound

And when I sleep I don’t realise your absence
I hear your step and see your cheerful face
The wind and waves subside
And all the house is silent
The day begins and quiet you steal away.
The day begins and quiet you steal away.

credits

from So Ends This Day, track released June 18, 2020
Words & Music Éilís Kennedy

Eamon Mc Elholm : Piano Gerry O ‘Beirne : 12 String Guitar
Vocals / Chorus : Rita Connolly

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éilís kennedy Dingle, Ireland

Singing , writing , composing ,learning, teaching.
,Amhráin , Béarla & Gaelainn from the South-West of Ireland.

New Album 'So Ends this day' out now

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