This Shall Be for Music
By Mark Patterson. Adapted from “The Roadside Fire” by Robert Louis Stevenson
I will make you brooches and toys for your delight
Of bird-song at morning and star-shine at night,
I will make a palace fit for you and me
Of green days in forests, and blue days at sea.
I will bring you gifts of gold with the autumn leaves,
Precious gems and treasure troves with the bud of spring,
And this shall be for music, when no one else is near,
The fine song for singing, the rare song to hear,
That only I remember, that only you admire,
Of the broad road before us and the roadside fire.
This shall be for music.
About this Project
In celebration of Valentine’s Day, Berkshire Children’s Chorus is giving back to the community by sharing “a hug and a song” with patients at Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield. Since Covid precautions preclude a visit to sing at the hospital, the Chorus collected teddy bears and other stuffed animals to donate to BMC’s Hug-a-Bear program. Each stuffed animal has a special tag that links to this video of the Chorus performing “This Shall Be For Music,” recorded on December 10, 2022 at Bard College at Simon’s Rock.
Read more about this meaningful service project in The Berkshire Eagle (February 10, 2023).
This initiative has been supported by a Thrivent Action Team Grant.