Laura Veirs
"Sleeper in the Valley"

(adapted from "The Sleeper in the Valley" by Arthur Rimbaud)

In a green hollow
Where a river sings
Tiny valley
Where the blue bells ring
There's a young soldier
Under the clouds
His mouth is open
And the light rains down

And the light rains down
And the crows come round
To the two red holes in his right side
In his right side
In his right side, oh

Sleeping in the sun
His hand on his breast
Nape of his neck
In the blue watercress
He's just a kid
And he never knew
He would be
The sleeper in the valley so soon

So soon so soon
And the crows they swoon
At the two red holes
In his right side, oh…