Warning: The song might be disturbing.
On a freezing cold evening in November 2010, police were alerted to the body of a newborn infant in an underground glass disposal unit in Den Haag. The image haunted me, and the lullaby resulted months later. Rahkoi (a young composer in Finland) has created a wonderful music track to contain the words, and Monique's gorgeous voice carries them.
Music/arrangement/instrumentation: Rahkoi
Vocals: Monique French
Lyrics/melody: Donna Devine
Not sure of genre, so I've selected Alternative.
Safe From Glass
(v1)
Oh, what a cold wind
Blew into the room
As your tiny head crowned
Like a blossom of doom
Such a hard journey
To come to this place
And oh such a pity
The girl fell from grace
Chorus
In my imagination
I’ll keep you warm as toast
Wrap you in a bunny rug
Cherish you the most
When you cry I’ll comfort
Won’t let the bad things last
And when the world around you breaks
I’ll keep you safe from glass
(v2)
Little one, brittle one
Under the street
At first unbeknown
To a passer-by’s feet
Pierced by sharp edges
The slivers, the shards
[The] things we acquire
Then quickly discard
Bridge
What a delicate thread
In life’s random web
No hello, no goodbye
No choice
[But] I hope you can hear this cradle song
Sung in a stranger’s voice
Chorus
In my imagination
I’ll keep you warm as toast
Wrap you in a bunny rug
Cherish you the most
When you cry I’ll comfort
Won’t let the bad things last
And when the world around you breaks
I’ll keep you safe from glass
© 2011 Donna Devine