Grishka, the simplest answer is that Mike works hard to create the best song he can that stays true to the poem. And the list of her poems that he has worked on is not short... but they all speak to some viewpoint that is as meaningful now as it was when she wrote them.

If the poem works well with a tune, there is no need to change anything and he doesn't. You don't make changes for changes sake.. and some of her poems he does as recitations. Mike does not rewrite her poems, he adapts them to music as songs.

We first heard of C Fox Smith from Stan Hugill at Mystic as the best poet on maritime themes... no mention of a first name, so it did come as a bit of a surprise to learn the C stood for Cicely. And it's been twenty plus years that he's been interested in her work.

But a song needs to be heard to be understood and I can't help you there yet.