Tomorrow shall be my dancing day - John Gardner

Translated into ASL by David Bar-Tzur

Created 26 December 2005, links updated monthly with the help of LinkAlarm.

EXPLANATION OF THE GLOSSING SYSTEM
(to understand how I describe the signs in this translation).

1. (role play Jesus) TOMORROW ME DANCE WILL.
REALLY-WANT THOSE-ctr ME LOVE
ATTEND-TO STORY MY LIFE HERE EARTH.

Refrain: COME-ON THOSE-ctr ME LOVE, JOIN MY DANCE.
WITNESS MY DANCE. SING WITH ME.
HAPPEN"each" FOR-FOR? THOSE-ctr ME LOVE.

2. MY MOTHER HERSELF-rt VIRGIN PURE.
SHE-rt HELP-me ME GET BODY.
THAT HOW GOD BECOME MAN. Refrain

3. MOTHER PUT-DOWN-baby ME IN MANGER POOR.
IN CLOTHES SHE-rt WRAP ME WRAP-BODY.
ME LIE"over time" BETWEEN COW AND SILLY DONKEY. Refrain

4. GROW-UP J-O-H-N BAPTIZE ME.
HOLY SPIRIT DRIFT-DOWN-ON-me ME.
MY HEAVENLY-FATHER CALL-ON FROM HEAVEN. Refrain


Notes: I was truly take aback when I had to translate this carol. Jesus is saying that tomorrow will be his dancing day?! On a recording by The Valley Folk on their LP All Bells in Paradise Topic 12 T 192 [1968], A.L. Lloyd on the record sleeve says as follows: "By some happy accident, a secular love song and a religious poem came together and got jumbled up. The result is one of our most surprising and beautiful carols." I have tried to make sense of this by translating it in such a way that Jesus could have siad this. Dr. Curmudgeon says, "A carol, which really should go on the 24th as well, 'Tomorrow Shall Be my Dancing Day'. This carol was first published in 1833 but is far older than that. Scholars believe it dates back to the medieval Cornish mystery plays presented during the Christmas season. The tune is lovely but it's the imagery of man as the true and eternally wooed love of Christ that makes this carol."

REALLY-WANT - WANT but shaken back and forth to show intensity.

THOSE - Underlined words are honorific indices ("indexes"), using the FT of the upturned palm to indicate who is being honored.

COME-ON - (2h)[B^] move in circles pivoting at the wrists to beckon someone to do something.

WITNESS - [1] touches under eye while head moves down.

VIRGIN - [V], PO away, FO up, brushes against DS of chin twice.

PURE - like NICE but the DH moves backwards slightly on the palm, pauses, then moves forward rapidly to show intensity.

PUT-DOWN-baby - (2h)[B], POs ><, FOs down, are held close like the final position of INTRODUCE and move downwards as if putting a baby in a crib.

MANGER - (2h)[5], FOs down interlace fingers and then separate while ascending in outward arcs.

WRAP-BODY - [O^], is held above head and spirals down as if wrapping up the body.

DRIFT-DOWN-ON-me - (2h)[5], POs down, FO > back, are held above head and wg as they descend.

HEAVENLY-FATHER - (2h)[A], FOs up, DH - held against forehead, NDH close to but lower, both hands open to (2h)[5] while moving upwards. HEAVEN may be added to this. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Heavenly Father - 1.

CALL-ON - DH [B] taps NDH [B], PO down, FO away from signer, then moves > signer while closing to an [A], PO away from signer, FO up, and moving up. For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see ASL browser - call.

Lyrics:

1. Tomorrow shall be my dancing day:
I would my true love did so chance
To see the legend of my play,
To call my true love to my dance:

Refrain: Sing O my love, O my love, my love, my love;
This have I done for my true love.

2. Then was I born of a virgin pure,
Of her I took fleshly substance;
Thus was I knit to man's nature,
To call my true love to my dance:

3. In a manger laid and wrapped I was,
So very poor this was my chance,
Betwixt an ox and a silly poor ass,
To call my true love to my dance:

4. Then afterwards baptized I was;
The Holy Ghost on me did glance,
My Father's voice heard from above,
To call my true love to my dance:

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