Did i hear the bird? (cantata memoria)

Did I hear a bird?
Not a word
Did I hear a song?
Perhaps long ago
(But I don’t think so.)
Did I hear the flutter of wings
Like the sound of apron strings
Unravelling?
What have I heard?
Just a little bird

That keeps on falling, falling
From an empty thunder-cloud
Sounding of loss –
A loss so loud

Heno, heno
Hen blant bach
Gwely, gwely
Hen blant bach
Dime, dime
Hen blant bach
Dime dime
Hen blant bach
Young voices, baritone & soprano soli
Can you hear a bird?
Just a word?
Can you hear a song?’
’Twas long ago
But I don’t think so
Can you hear the flutter of wings
Like the sound of apron strings?
Hear a beating, beating wing?
Beating my heart
Just a little bird
That keeps on calling, calling
Calling softly from the crowd
That keeps on calling, calling
Calling for light
A light so loud