by Carol Voigts
Member since:
November 16, 2005

Dancing in the May

May 01, 2006 02:30 PM EDT (Updated: May 01, 2006 02:42 PM EDT)
views: 57 | rating: 9.1/10 (10 votes) | comments: 19

I've been a 'wandering all of the night

And the best part of the day

Now I'm returning home againfileId:3096224743848713;size:full;

I'll bring you a branch of May

fileId:3096224743848714;size:full;

A branch of May my love I say

As at your door I stand

It's nothing but a sprout but it's well budded out

By the work of the Lord's own hand.fileId:3096224743848717;size:full;

My song is done, I must be gone

I can no longer stay

God bless you all, both great and small

And bring you a happy MayfileId:3096224743848718;size:full;

an old English and Appalachian folk song.

Note:These are past celebrations of children in Montague, Michigan from 1987-1999, celebrating the May.Some of these children continued this dancing and singing with me and went on tours to Denmark, Canada, Great Britain.These beginning celebrations were in the courtyard of a local church, and at the county fairgrounds.The song is one which we always ended our celebrations with.

I wish you a Happy May,a Merry May, and a Joyful May!
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Comments: 19

Stephen Schneider May 1, 2006, 2:39pm EDT
Be it as it may, right back at ya Carol
jessie voigts May 1, 2006, 2:39pm EDT
happy may day, carol! i love to see the dancing. it brings joy to my heart. thanks for sharing!
Carol Voigts May 1, 2006, 2:57pm EDT
Peg--actually you're in one of the prime states for ceremonial dancing. Check out an organization CDSS, which has its national headquarters in Amhurst, I believe. Country Dance and Song Society. They have many groups in Mass. who work with children on these kinds of dances, and many instructions books also. I'll bet you'll find a lot of Morris dancing going on around there.
Heather Classen May 1, 2006, 3:03pm EDT
I've seen some kids dancing around a Maypole in Harvard Yard once... it was adorable.
Faith H. May 1, 2006, 3:17pm EDT
What wonderful fun, Carol, thank you for sharing this. Happy May Day!
John F Walter May 1, 2006, 6:00pm EDT
Carol, Thank you so much for sending me this link! This brought so much joy to my heart, to see these children at play.Now I know how the "catcher in the rye" felt, not Holden Caulfield, but the metaphorical figure he wrote about.
I loved the pictures,I loved the song!
Jennifer OConnell May 1, 2006, 7:00pm EDT
I've had that song in my head all day :) Oh, how I miss doing the Maypole Dance. I think I spied my ponytail in one of those pictures :)
Anita D. May 1, 2006, 7:37pm EDT
Anyone, besides me, remember taking pint size strawberry baskets and weaving ribbon or colored pipe stem cleaners through them each Spring?

I would the pick choice flowers from the garden and lay them across the basket as it was too small for the stems. Quietly giggling I would then silently leaving them on the doorsteps of my neighborhood friends. Lastly, a quick doorbell ring and hiding before they answered the door. What fun to see their joy at the anonymous Springtime message.


I was so touched when two little girls did that for me this year. Pretty flowers with no stems. Just right for floating in a bowl. I will miss them when they move.
Mary M. Alward May 1, 2006, 7:38pm EDT
Carol, Loved that old English and Appalachian folk song. A high five to you and the kids. Happy May Day.
Aileen F. May 1, 2006, 8:40pm EDT
How fun! Thanks for sharin gthis with us.
Carol Voigts May 1, 2006, 11:40pm EDT
I wish we could all sing this together.
Jennifer you could lead it. Up with your branches!
Anita, oh yes, I do remember the baskets of May, hung on the doorknobs and a quick ring of the doorbell. I tried to get my kids to do that a few times. At college in my dorm, the senior girls did that to all the other girls in the house.
Kathryn E. May 2, 2006, 5:09am EDT
May Day is one of my favorite "holidays", seeing as it is the birthday of my son, and a great, rich day, full of tradtion and meaning in many cultures. Thank you for this journey, Carol.
Edward Nudelman May 2, 2006, 7:43am EDT
You too Carol, Happy May Day!
Carol Voigts May 2, 2006, 8:18am EDT
Thanks for the May Day greetings, Kathryn, and Edward.
Ernest Dempsey May 2, 2006, 11:13am EDT
It's a nice song! Unfortunately May here in my part of the world is too hot to dance in, unless it be dancing in mad anger at the sun.
Carol Voigts May 2, 2006, 5:52pm EDT
Thanks for singing along, Ernest. You can leave the dancing to those in cooler climes!
Susan Pattishall May 2, 2006, 8:04pm EDT
Carol, nice times.
Tom C. May 4, 2006, 4:11pm EDT
I, too, remember making the May baskets & hanging them on neighbors' doors. Our daughter did that as well when she was young(er)!
elizabeth e. May 3, 2008, 2:16pm EDT
But of course children still do make May baskets with strawberry containers...weaving the ribbons in and out, Anita.

Happy May Day to you Carol!

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