brighteyes

"Bright Eyes"

"Is it a kind of dream floating out on the tide,
following the river of death downstream?
Oh, is it a dream?

There's a fog along the horizon
a strange glow in the sky.
And nobody seems to know where you go,
and what does it mean? Is it a dream?

Bright eyes burning like fire.
Bright eyes how can you close and fail?
How can the light that burned so brightly
suddenly burn so pale?
Bright eyes.

Is it a kind of shadow
reaching into the night
wandering over the hills unseen
or is it a dream?

There's a high wind in the trees
a cold sound in the air.
And nobody ever knows when you go
and where do you start?
Oh, into the dark.

Bright eyes burning like fire.
Bright eyes how can you close and fail?
How can the light that burned so brightly
suddenly burn so pale?
Bright eyes.

Bright eyes burning like fire.
Bright eyes how can you close and fail?
How can the light that burned so brightly
suddenly burn so pale?
Bright eyes."

"Bright Eyes" composed
by Mike Batt
Vocal: Art Garfunkel
CD: "Garfunkel Across America"
From the movie "Watership Down"

The Song that became " Shoo's Song"

The year that Shoo and I were together I heard about the book "Watership Down" by Richard Adams. A friend of my daughter's had come to the house and noticed that I had a painting of a young girl feeding bunnies in a field. She looked at the title of the painting "More Watership Down", and asked: "Have you read the book? You would love it! It is all about wild rabbits and their journey from their home which was to be destroyed by man to find another." She then went on to explain that the book had been required reading in their Senior class and everyone loved it.

Of course, I ran to Border's Books immediatley and asked where I might find the book. The girl behind the counter smiled and said: "By Richard Adams. I know exactly where it is." She took me to an isle of classic literature and I saw it for the first time! There on the cover was a beautiful wild rabbit! "Watership Down"!

I puchased the book and left the store holding the precious cargo. As soon as I arrived home I busied myself with dinner and then took the book out in the yard to wait for Shoo. He came around 7 o'clock and together we began reading...Shoo beside me on a beautiful summer night. I read and he ate his treats and we shared our apple.

I read every night to him. We soon knew all the wonderful characters. Shoo heard of Hazel, BigWig, Fiver and the others. Together we shared their amazing adventures in seeking a new home. The bravery, the tenacity and the cleverness of the rabbits of Watership Down. Then! I heard of the movie!

"Watership Down" the movie.

In minutes I found myself in the video store in our neighborhood holding the movie for rental. I watched it, fell in love and bought it! The rabbits came even more to life! Wise, intelligent Hazel. BigWig, bold and brave. Fiver's prophetic visions....he being the one who saw the loss of their home before it happened...
and all the others. This was the first time I heard the song "Bright Eyes". The song is basically about death, being in the part of the movie where Hazel was believed dead by the other rabbits. But even though Shoo was very much alive at the time, to me, it was Shoo's song.

My daughter had found the CD by Art Garfunkel and given it to me and I usually turned it on around the time I would see Shoo. I remember the day "Bright Eyes" really became..."Shoo's Song". I was standing at the kitchen window doing dishes when I saw Shoo appear in the yard. The window was open and I sang it for him along with the recording. Suddenly, I "knew"! As I looked at my friend waiting for me near the back porch step I felt the words come up from deep inside and spoke them outloud. "There is my heart!" In seeing Shoo it was like I was seeing my own heart...there in the yard...in front of me. I went outside and he came hopping up to see me. I looked at him and told him: "Shoo, you are my heart."

Life After Watership Down

After Shoo-Fly passed to the Rainbowbridge I did write Mr. Adams in England and told him of the beautiful friendship Shoo and I had enjoyed and how much a part of our friendship he, through his book, had become.

A few weeks later I recieved a letter from Mr. Adams's secretary expressing his sympathies regarding Shoo's death and how privledged he felt that he had been a part of our friendship through "Watership Down". The letter went on to say that Mr. Adams did not answer mail any longer because of great age, but that he did want to reply to this letter.

I still have the letter tucked away with other memories of Shoo-Fly. A sprig of parsley left uneaten. A flower petal that fell from one of the two trees in our neighbor's yard where I found Shoo lying so still that Mother's Day of 1999. Letters I wrote to him during our friendship and some written after he left me.
These and the letter from Richard Adams who took the time to reach me clear across the waters to the United States!

The Cottontails..They Come

When Shoo passed I made him I promise. I promised to take care of his kind for the rest of my life. Then, I wondered, how could I keep such a promise? Wild rabbits just didn't run up to humans every day and say "I know that you love me"!

The first year saw no rabbits. But then, in the spring of the following year they began to come and have ever since. They sit with me and eat out of bowls just like their now many times Great Grandfather Shoo.

They also hear now the stories of the courageous rabbits of Watership Down", only now the stories are told by me from memory.

And they learn of their fore father Shoo...
the friendship we shared, how much I loved him, and how much I still do love him and always will.

And, yes! They have all heard the song "Bright Eyes"!

Memories of eyes so bright. How could they close and fail?

Dove link: Memories of eyes so bright.
(All the animals I have loved and known.....)

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