Hi Frances,

I certainly hope this message reaches you, as I have loved this song since I, too, sang it in elementary school.

When Poppies Close Their Crimson Eyes

When poppies close their crimson eyes,
When ripples widen on the river,
When swallows wheel in evening skies,
When willows whisper silken sighs,
My longing heart in fancy flies
To where the snowcapped mountains rise.

I see the Alpine village small.
I roam in mem'ry through the valleys.
I climb the snowy summits tall.
I see the purple shadows crawl.
I see the starry evening fall.
Upon the snowcapped mountain wall.

When I was moving from Boston to California in 1984, there was lots of land through which my car antenna could receive no radio stations to entertain me. So I entertained myself. I loved that song so much that I HAD to remember it. And when driving across Wyoming, Utah and Nevada, there was a lot of time to think of the correct words. Then, since I did not want to lose them again, I wrote them. I have now lost the paper, but retained the words in my memory.

Yesterday, I sang that song to my sister who teaches gifted students and was compiling lyrics to their songs. I asked her if she remembered "When poppies..." This morning, she couldn't remember the words that I sang to her, so before she called me, she searched Google and found your request. I am so happy to be able to share this wonderful song with you. I certainly wish the songwriter(s) knew how much it has meant to both you and me through the years.

There is another one we sang, "I know a green cathedral...", and I would love to have the sheet music to both. That was a great year for elementary school choral music.

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Green Cathedral thread