I went to church this morning. Paging through the hymnal, I was surprised to see “Morning Has Broken”, a song I always associated with Cat Stevens, who has since changed his name to Yusuf Islam. The song has always been one of my favorites, but I didn’t know that it was a religious hymn. It was written by Elizabeth Farjeon in 1931 as a child’s poem and is properly known as “A Morning Song (For the First Day of Spring)”. It was set to the tune of “Bunessan”, a traditional Gaelic tune that was collected by Alexander Fraser in the 19th century. The piano arrangement is by Rick Wakeman, of the band Yes.

Slideshow by Michael P. Flaherty

A Morning Song (For the First Day of Spring)

by Elizabeth Farjeon

Morning has broken, like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from the word

Sweet the rain’s new fall, sunlit from heaven
Like the first dewfall, on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where his feet pass

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light, Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God’s recreation of the new day