Yesterday, a low-flying great blue heron crossed my path with a blossoming branch in his beak. He was on route from the tidal flat to a small colony of eight nesting pairs in the tall bare trees beside the trail. Then this afternoon, my friend thrilled at the hummingbird courtship antics happening outside her window. Tonight, I watched a pair of mallards try and lead me away from their nest in the muddy creekbed. So, in honour of all the birds that are working so hard right now, courting, building nests, laying and incubating their precious eggs, I want to share this beautiful piece.
When I first heard it, a few weeks ago, on this wonderful Sacred Nature album by Philip Carr-Gomme, it captured my heart. It’s on the track called “Healing Sleep”.  He says it is a lullaby from the Scottish Highlands. I’d love to credit the poet, but I don’t know who that is. If you know, please comment. You can read more about the album on Philip Carr-Gomme’s blog.

This piece gives me comfort I cannot explain, which is really the best kind, isn’t it? It wraps around my ragged spirit like a nest of feathers and brings me peace. Listen if you can. The recitation by Glasgow actor, Scott Reid, is accompanied by beautiful vocals and healing harp strains. Here are the words:

The nest of the Raven is in the hawthorn rock
My Little One Will Sleep and He Shall Have the Bird
 
The nest of the Seagull is in the rock of droppings
My Little One Will Sleep and He Shall Have the Bird
 
The nest of the Ptarmigan is in the rough mountain
My Little One Will Sleep and He Shall Have the Bird
 
The nest of the Mavis is in the bonny copse
My Little One Will Sleep and He Shall Have the Bird
 
The nest of the Blackbird is in the withered bow
My Little One Will Sleep and He Shall Have the Bird
 
The nest of the Skylark is in the track of a cow
My Little One Will Sleep and He Shall Have the Bird
 
The nest of the Pigeon is in the red crags
My Little One Will Sleep and He Shall Have the Bird
 
The nest of the Wild Duck is in the bank of the lakelet
My Little One Will Sleep and He Shall Have the Bird
 
The nest of the Cuckoo is in the hedge sparrow’s nest
My Little One Will Sleep and He Shall Have the Bird
 
The nest of the Sea Lark is in the level shingle beach
My Little One Will Sleep and He Shall Have the Bird
 
The nest of the Teal Duck is in the breast of the tree
My Little One Will Sleep and He Shall Have the Bird
 
The nest of the Lapwing is in the hummocked marsh
My Little One Will Sleep and He Shall Have the Bird
 
The nest of the Kite is in the high of the mountain slope
My Little One Will Sleep and He Shall Have the Bird
 
The nest of the Wren is in the rock thicket
My Little One Will Sleep and He Shall Have the Bird
 
The nest of the Plover is in the wooden copse
My Little One Will Sleep and He Shall Have the Bird
 
The nest of the Red Hen is in the green red-tipped heather
My Little One Will Sleep and He Shall Have the Bird
 
The nest of the Starling is under the wing of the thatch
My Little One Will Sleep and He Shall Have the Bird
 
The nest of the Heath Hen is in the marshland knot
My Little One Will Sleep and He Shall Have the Bird
 
The nest of the Curlew is in the bubbling peat moss
My Little One Will Sleep and He Shall Have the Bird
 
The nest of the Oystercatcher is among the smooth shingles
My Little One Will Sleep and He Shall Have the Bird
 
The nest of the Heron is in the pointed trees
My Little One Will Sleep and He Shall Have the Bird
 
The nest of the Bullfinch is in the wood of the dell
My Little One Will Sleep and He Shall Have the Bird
 
The nest of the Stonechat is in the garden dyke
My Little One Will Sleep and He Shall Have the Bird
 
The nest of the Rook is in the tree’s top
My Little One Will Sleep and He Shall Have the Bird