Pete Sutherland and his gang of 4th, 5th and 6th graders at Swanton School presented the results of their 4-week Ballad Writing residency at the Tabor House on May 4. Many parents, kids, grandparents, community members wedged into the main room at the resort which was opened up for the occasion. Here is a slideshow and recording of the performance; the art work was done by each of the students using glass prints. Thanks to our sponsors, the Lake Champlain Basin Program Thanks to Swanton School Principal Julie Benay for spearheading this project. The song has been performed and will be performed by Pete Sutherland in many public venues this spring, summer and fall. The next show: May 16 at Burlington's Waterfront as part of the Young Traditions weekend. Click headline to read the words as you listen.
Benson Village School, meanwhile, soon will complete its ballad as part of this project and will be presenting their ballad at school on May 27.
A BIRD'S EYE VIEW
You think you know the country from Missisquoi to Maquam
The farms and the forests and the river flowing on,
The lay of the land, and your local history too
But to really see it all you need a bird's eye view
From a bird's eye view, there's the lake so blue
And highways and flyways that we're all connected to
A haven and a habitat, a home for humans, too
That's the place we call Swanton from a bird's eye view
"Ho," said the crow, "for I remember years
When the Abenaki people they fished and hunted here
When the muskelunge were many and the tall corn grew
Life was nice and easy from a bird's eye view"
"Listen," cried the songbird, "I'll tell you of the times
Of the lime rock quarries and the bog iron mines
When marble mills boomed and factory whistles blew
It was a hustle and a bustle from a bird's eye view"
From a bird's eye view, there's the lake so blue
Highways and flyways we're all connected to
A haven and a habitat, a home for humans, too
That's the place we call Swanton from a bird's eye view
"Peep," said the poults out at Tabor's Turkey Farm
"There were forty thousand of us there in one enormous barn
But we'd summer on the island where the huckleberries grew
And watch the barges passing from a bird's eye view"
"Hi," cried the snow goose, far up in the skies
"The Bird's Foot Delta - there's a place I recognize
The bays and the wetlands, a world of green and blue
As pretty as a painting from a bird's eye view"
From a bird's eye view, there's the lake so blue
Highways and flyways we're all connected to
A haven and a habitat, a home for humans, too
That's the place we call Swanton from a bird's eye view
"Yum," said the seagull, miles from the sea
"Down at Shaggy's parking lot, that's the place to be
Hot and crispy fries, someone always drops a few
It's worth a trip to Swanton from a bird's eye view!"
"Hush," said the heron, "be careful of my nest
The traffic near the rookery, it makes it hard to rest
We're thankful for the refuge, but rather nervous too
The world is full of danger from a bird's eye view"
From a bird's eye view, there's the lake so blue
Highways and flyways we're all connected to
A haven and a habitat, a home for humans, too
That's the place we call Swanton from a bird's eye view
"Honk," said the swans near the fountain downtown,
"We watch the traffic passing while we eat and swim around
We hear you making wishes with your dimes and nickels too
So here's a wish for Swanton from a bird's eye view"
From a bird's eye view, there's the lake so blue
Highways and flyways we're all connected to
A haven and a habitat, a home for humans, too
That's the place we call Swanton from a bird's eye view
From a bird's eye view, there's the lake so blue
Highways and flyways we're all connected to
A haven and a habitat, a home for humans, too
That's the place we call Swanton from a bird's eye view
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Submitted by ggevalt on Tue, 05/05/2009 - 08:51
admin | Thu, 07/22/2010 - 10:34
This is such a wonderful song. Great effort by the kids
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