This is the third in a series of poems and song parodies that I wrote for a contest that centered around male infant circumcision. The contest encouraged original songs and poems, as well as parodies of other works. For my last Poetry Corner entry, I posted a haiku and an explanation of its meaning. This time, I'm posting a song parody based on a song called "Greenfields" by an older group called "The Brothers Four."
I suppose it's appropriate to talk about the original song first, as many of my readers will probably not know it. The Brothers Four was an American folk singing group of four men, which had its heyday in the 1950 and 60s. I only became aware of this group relatively recently, through a friend of mine who has an appreciation for American folk music. He is fond of playing various music from the 50s, 60s and 70s in his car, and through him I also came to like music from those eras. It was through my friend that I came to like music by Simon and Garfunkel, the Carpenters, Peter, Paul and Mary and the like.
My friend and I were on a road trip when I first heard this song. When I asked him who the group was, he told me about The Brothers Four. He had a CD with the group's greatest hits. I was hooked. There were other songs on the CD such as "Seven Daffodils" and "Try to Remember." For many reasons, the song "Greenfields" stood out.
Here are the lyrics to the song:
"Greenfields"
By The Brothers Four
Once there were greenfields
Kissed by the sun
Once there were valleys
Where rivers used to run
Once there were blue skies
With white clouds high above
Once they were part of
An everlasting love
We were the lovers who strolled
Through greenfields.
Greenfields are gone now
Parched by the sun
Gone from the valleys
Where rivers used to run
Gone with the cold wind
That swept in through to my heart
Gone with the lovers
Who let their dreams depart
Where are the greenfields that we
Used to roam.
I'll never know what made you run away
How can I keep searching when dark clouds hide the day
I only know there's nothing here for me
Nothing in this wild world left for me to see.
But I'll keep on waiting
'Til you return
I'll keep on waiting
Until the day you learn
You can't be happy
When your heart's on a roam
You can't be happy
Until you bring it home
Home to the greenfields and me
Once again.
When I first heard "Greenfields," the song gave me a feeling of loneliness, of longing for what was once there. This was reflected in the minor key in which the song was written, as well as the lyrics themselves. I couldn't help but think of circumcision and the feeling a man who resents this unwanted intrusion on his body might feel. The lyrics in the original song also seem to lend themselves to allow me to reference foreskin restoration. I decided to write a parody for the poetry contest.
Here is the song reinterpreted in my parody:
"My Foreskin Home"
Parody by Joseph Lewis
My Foreskin Home
Once there was foreskin
And I was one
Once there was tissue
Where veins and nerves used to run
Once I had a foreskin
I would have been proud of
Once it was part of an everlasting love
I was born perfect when I
Had foreskin
Foreskin is gone now
Shorn by someone
Gone is the tissue
Where veins and nerves used to run
Gone with the cold knife
That cut into my heart
Gone with the doctor
That tore my skin apart
Where is the foreskin my glans
Once called home
I'll never know why it was torn away
How can I keep searching, I'm ridiculed all day
I only know, that it was robbed from me
No one in this world could give it back to me
But I'll keep on stretching
'Til it returns
I'll keep on tugging
Until the day they learn
I can't be happy
While my glans is exposed
I can't be happy
Until my glans is home
Home in the foreskin I had
Once again
I hope you enjoyed it. Please check out past Poetry Corner entries in the links below.
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