Simple Gifts

This song was written by Joseph Brackett, Jr., who was an Elder of The United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing -- a group better known as the Shakers. Brackett wrote this song in 1848 at the Shaker community in Alfred, Maine, and it is meant to be a dancing song -- the references to turning were presumably acted out by the Shakers as they danced. The song was virtually unknown outside of Shaker circles until Aaron Copeland used the melody in his 1944 ballet, Appalachian Spring.

Anyway, I think it's a great song for the fall. I really like the idea that being "simple" is not natural -- that it is, in fact, a gift. For a very long time, I was frustrated by the fact that everything in my life turned out to be complicated -- that even my natural writing style is filled with complications and curlicues. I wanted things to be simple, and clean. But I now believe that simplicity is truly a gift, and that not all of us have it -- at least in this life:

Simple Gifts

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gain'd,
To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,
To turn, turn, will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come 'round right.