Carnival of the Animals
by Camille Saint-Saëns
is a musical portrait
of animal sounds
elephants and lions
the weak and the strong
creatures with long ears
and a beautiful swan
aviary birdsongs
aquariums and fish
swimming in dreams
like the dreams we all wish
and fossils the memories
of days long before
with a pianist who’s playing
a most apropos score
there are hens and a rooster
with fluttering sounds
and the tortoise at home
as he ambles about
is it closer to humans
then what we may think
and the more that I ponder
comes a smile and a wink
I have a crazy old uncle
and our stubborn aunt Mae
it’s the sound of a cuckoo
and a donkey’s loud bray
but I guess we’re the carnival
in some kinda way
each one of us different
on public display
oh this glorious planet
is special to me
whether mammals or mountains
deserts or seas
there’s high constellations
whose zodiac signs
pose animals roaming
on cool moonlit nights
Columba and Hydra
a snake and a dove
Taurus the bull
floating high up above
menagerie magic
round stars heaven deep
is beauty so stunning
it’s hard to believe
no price for the priceless
no way to describe
this spectacular wonder
of human delight
and our dear children watch
how we tend in the breach
it’s the world we’ll hand over
and legacy we leave
A poem by Greg Nelson
© 2021 by Poppie’s Hallel
(BMI. Admin. by Amplified Administration)
The Human Wave 
I love San Saëns at Christmas. When we auditioned at Azusa Pacific, a million years ago, we were singing our own songs on guitar when the choir director said that wasn’t real singing, so we launched into the “My Soul Doth Magnify” trio from his Christmas Oratorio – and at the time I could actually jump an octave and a third to hit those notes. We all got scholarships so I’ve always been grateful to him. Grateful to you too. Thank you for keeping me on your list 😘. Merry Holy Days.
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So you went to Azusa Pacific. Was Dr. Gary Bonner there then?
Did you happen to know Larry Anderson? I was in the New Folk with him.
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