Droom Je Al?

Droom Je Al?

All the right letters, but not necessarily in the right order?

Well, that’s true, If you’re English. But not if you’re Dutch.

The letters, when we use the secret code, now come to mean - “Are you dreaming already?”

This song was my first attempt at writing in a foreign language. It’s a lullaby, and I thought it might be a way to let our grandchildren hear a bit of their Oma’s native tongue, when we weren’t around. Our daughter-in-law used to play it to them when they were settling down at night. And they do sleep well. So, in that respect, job done. Also the two older boys are now making a concerted effort at learning some Dutch on Duolingo. That makes me happy.

It’s a source of wonder that these letters on our keyboard, the simple ABC’s of our alphabet, have got such endless possibilities. They open doors of knowledge. New worlds and civilisations. A way of understanding our fellow humans. An almost limitless well of creativity.

And sometimes, they can simply send us to sleep.

I must admit, I hope that doesn’t happen too often with mine.

Though it is hard to get them in the right order every time.