Putting this poem to music was tricky because the two verses are not the same length. I 
had to find a way to shorten the tune in the second verse. That, fortunately, worked out 
quite well. I like the recorded version of this song better than a live version because I 
am not a good enough musician to put the interlude into my live version. The dancing 
interlude is perfect as I imagine the star and the pig dancing through the night in the 
pigs imagination.

THE STAR
Words by Sara Teasdale, music by James E. Nelson

A white star born in the evening glow
Looked to the round green world below,
And saw a pool in a wooded place
That held like a jewel her mirrored face.
She said to the pool: "Oh, wondrous deep,
I love you, I give you my light to keep,
Oh, more profound than the moving sea
That never has shown myself to me!
Oh, fathomless as the sky is far,
Hold forever your tremulous star!"

But out of the woods as night grew cool
A brown pig came to the little pool;
It grunted and splashed and waded in
And the deepest place but reached its chin.
The water gurgled with tender glee
And the mud churned up in it turbidly.
The star grew pale and hid her face
In a bit of floating cloud-like lace.