The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #54540   Message #2781593
Posted By: Joe Offer
05-Dec-09 - 05:24 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req/Add: The Gift (Stephanie Davis)
Subject: ADD: The Gift (Stephanie Davis)
We've had a lot of almost-correct lyrics posted. This should be the definitive version. I copy-pasted it from the songwriter's Website,
-Joe-


THE GIFT
(Stephanie Davis)

A poor orphan girl named Maria was walking to market one day
She stopped for to rest by the roadside where a bird with a broken wing lay
A few moments passed 'till she saw it, for its feathers were covered with sand
But soon, clean and wrapped, it was traveling in the warmth of Maria's small hand

She happily spent her last peso on a cage made of rushes and twine
She fed it loose corn from the market and watched it grow stronger with time

Now the Christmas Eve service was coming, and the church shone with tinsel and light
And all of the townfolk brought presents to lay by the manger that night
There were diamonds and incense and perfumes in packages fit for a king
But for one ragged bird in a small cage, Maria had nothing to bring

She waited till just before midnight so no one would see her go in
And crying, she knelt by the manger, for her gift was unworthy of Him

Then a voice spoke to her through the darkness: "Maria, what brings you to me?"
"If the bird in the cage is your offering, open the door—let me see!"
Though she trembled, she did as He asked her, and out of the cage the bird flew
Soaring up into the rafters on a wing that had healed good as new

Just then the midnight bells rang out and the little bird started to sing
A song that no words could recapture, whose beauty was fit for a king

Now Maria felt blessed just to listen to that cascade of notes sweet and long
As her offering was lifted to heaven by the very first nightingale song

Stephanie Davis
Recluse Music (BMI)