Medics preparing premature babies for transport to Egypt after being evacuated from Al-Shifa Hospital. Photo credit: Fatima Shbair/AP Photo.
I have re-worked the various versions of the English, Appalachian, African American, Hebrew cumulative song, Children, Go Where I Send Thee in honor or in memory of Palestinian babies suffering or killed.
1. Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee one by one:
One for the baby born on the run.
Born, born
Born in Bethlehem.
2. Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee two by two:
Two for the babies shot for you
One for the baby born on the run.
Born, born
Born in Bethlehem.
3. Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee three by three:
Three for the lily white boys without sin
Two for the babies shot for you
One for the baby born on the run.
Born, born
Born in Bethlehem.
4. Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I’m gonna send thee four by four:
Four for the four bombed at the door
Three for the lily white boys without sin
Two for the babies shot for you
One for the baby born on the run.
Born, born
Born in Bethlehem
5. Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I’m gonna send thee five by five:
Five for the five buried alive
Four for the four bombed at the door
Three for the lily white boys without sin
Two for the babies shot for you
One for the baby born on the run.
Born, born
Born in Bethlehem
6. Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I’m gonna send thee six by six:
Six for the six whose deaths were fixed
Five for the five buried alive
Four for the four bombed at the door
Three for the lily white boys without sin
Two for the babies shot for you
One for the baby born on the run.
Born, born
Born in Bethlehem
7. Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I’m gonna send thee seven by seven:
Seven for the itty bitty babies unforgiven
Six for the six whose deaths were fixed
Five for the five buried alive
Four for the four bombed at the door
Three for the lily white boys without sin
Two for the babies shot for you
One for the baby born on the run.
Born, born
Born in Bethlehem
8. Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I’m gonna send thee eight by eight:
Eight for the eight babies poisoned at the gate
Seven for the itty bitty babies unforgiven
Six for the six whose deaths were fixed
Five for the five buried alive
Four for the four bombed at the door
Three for the lily white boys without sin
Two for the babies shot for you
One for the baby born on the run.
Born, born
Born in Bethlehem
9. Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I’m gonna send thee nine by nine:
Nine for the nine with tiny shattered spines
Eight for the eight babies poisoned at the gate
Seven for the itty bitty babies unforgiven
Six for the six whose deaths were fixed
Five for the five buried alive
Four for the four bombed at the door
Three for the lily white boys without sin
Two for the babies shot for you
One for the baby born on the run.
Born, born
Born in Bethlehem
10. Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I’m gonna send thee ten by ten:
Ten for the tenth commandment
Nine for the nine with tiny shattered spines
Eight for the eight babies poisoned at the gate
Seven for the itty bitty babies unforgiven
Six for the six whose deaths were fixed
Five for the five buried alive
Four for the four bombed at the door
Three for the lily white boys without sin
Two for the babies shot for you
One for the baby born on the run.
Born, born
Born in Bethlehem
11. Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I’m gonna send thee eleven by eleven:
Eleven baby heads for empire’s leaven
Ten for the tenth commandment
Nine for the nine with tiny shattered spines
Eight for the eight babies poisoned at the gate
Seven for the itty bitty babies unforgiven
Six for the six whose deaths were fixed
Five for the five buried alive
Four for the four bombed at the door
Three for the lily white boys without sin
Two for the babies shot for you
One for the baby born on the run.
Born, born
Born in Bethlehem
12. Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I’m gonna send thee twelve by twelve:
Twelve for the twelve in Egypt
Eleven baby heads for empire’s leaven
Ten for the tenth commandment
Nine for the nine with tiny shattered spines
Eight for the eight babies poisoned at the gate
Seven for the itty bitty babies unforgiven
Six for the six whose deaths were fixed
Five for the five buried alive
Four for the four bombed at the door
Three for the lily white boys without sin
Two for the babies shot for you
One for the baby born on the run.
Born, born
Born in Bethlehem
©Ellin Jimmerson, December 5, 2023