Rebekah Ubuntu has been encouraging us to consider the process of this residency to be ‘the thing’. A big part of my process has been working around looking after my son, so to mark this here is a lullaby that I’ve been singing to him since he was born, recorded on my phone a while ago so he can hear it even on the rare occasion I’m not there.

Video Description: The subtitles of the song are in white text at the bottom of the screen. They overlay a background of refracted light ripples moving leisurely across sand at the bottom of the ocean. Occasionally they bounce backwards and reverse their direction.

Audio Caption: Leah sings in a bathroom – slightly echoey but small-sounding. The mic is just a phone, and sometimes distorts with the sound of breathing. The song is slow, with lots of space in between lines.

Song to the Siren | Tim Buckley

(Lyrics are slightly altered by Leah from the original)

All afloat on the shipless ocean

I did all my best to smile

‘Til your singing eyes and fingers

Drew me loving to your isle

For you sang

Sail to me

Sail to me let me unfold you

Here I am

Here I am

Waiting to hold you

Did I dream 

You dreamed about me?

Were you hare while I was fox?

Now my foolish boat is leaning

Torn lovelorn on your rocks

For you sang

Touch me not

Touch me not come back tomorrow

Oh my heart

Oh my heart

Shies from the sorrow

I’m as puzzled as a newborn child

I’m as riddled as the tide

Should I stand amid the breakers?

Should I lie with death for my bride?

And you sang

Swim to me

Swim to me let me unfold you

Here I am

Here I am

Waiting to hold you.