The Year of the Rabbit - Song

Composer Patrick Dexter was prompted by classic childhood tales to conjure this musical narrative about a talking rabbit. The song's protagonist comes across our long-eared sage who surprises and inspires him by sharing her rabbit wisdom for the forthcoming year.

The Year of the Rabbit

Rabbit hopping in the Garden
See her wild and free
Ears are flopping through the flowers
quiet as the breeze

Sun is rising, sky is brightening
Dew drops on the leaves
Night is over, day is coming
When the rabbit turns to me

She stares at me with dark brown eyes
Ears turn slowly to my surprise
She stands, turned to me, she begins to speak
With a soft strong voice she says to me

“The seasons have all come and gone
Snow has fallen, sun has shone
On the trees new buds appear
And so begins another year”

In the forest all is still
last of winter’s icy chill
Rabbit watches all that passes
No one sees all she sees

Snow is melting all around
Shoots are peeping through the ground
In fallen leaves the rabbit plays
Then turns to me and says

“A new year yawns for me and you
There’s been so much we’ve been through
But still so much we have to do
Let's make this year, be true”

And so begins another year