There is a significant time difference between Paris and New York. So, for the first couple of days there was some confusion with going to sleep and waking up. Then, the sleeping straightened out and the mornings and evenings fell into a normal pattern.
Though each morning we were awakened at dawn by the strangest howling. The light in the bedroom, dusky and dream-like made the noise seem all the more strange. The morning would go silent again, I’d fall back to sleep only to be awakened a shot time later by another plaintive calling out. This went on every day, each morning, a strange howling coming from somewhere in the interior courtyard of the apartment complex where we were staying.
We tried to reason out what could be making this eerie sound. Neither my husband nor I had ever heard anything like it before and though we did not think it was anything threatening, we were certainly curious. Then one day I looked down into the courtyard and saw a mourning dove slowly, gracefully walking across the patio garden path. The delicate, soft grey bird then flew to the other side of the building, its wings making a familiar high pitched swishing sound. But then when the bird landed under the eaves of the windowsill and called out to its mate on the other side of the courtyard, the soft cooing of this gentle little thing was caught in the curved structure of the window and its song echoed up to our window sounding more like a wolf howling than a bird call. Then I watched as the pair took flight and disappeared on the other side of the roof tops.
We had several days left of our visit in Paris and each morning we were serenaded by the plaintive dove’s cry. Then one night I remembered a 1984 Prince song, “When Doves Cry”. I could only remember that it was a tragic love song. I associate doves with love and Paris is known as a city for lovers, though these mourning doves made me realize that where there’s love there’s bound to be heartbreak. And we did see what appeared to be lover’s tragedies while traveling through the streets and gardens of Paris. In one department store I saw a young girl weeping and weeping, and an older woman trying desperately to console the crying girl. They made a quick purchase and hurried out into the street, the girl still crying so hard that tears were streaming down her face. We saw another women walking briskly through a beautiful garden, hurrying passed lovers nuzzling each other on park benches, her yes red from crying and she brushed so close to us that we could hear the sobs choking in her throat.
Here are the lyrics from:
WHEN DOVES CRY
Dig if you will the picture
Of you and I engaged in a kiss
The sweat of your body covers me
Can you my darling
Can you picture this?
Dream if you can a courtyard
An ocean of violets in bloom
Animals strike curious poses
They feel the heat
The heat between me and you
How can you just leave me standing?
Alone in a world that’s so cold?
Maybe I’m just too demanding
Maybe I’m just like my father too bold
Maybe you’re just like my mother
She’s never satisfied
Why do we scream at each other?
This is what it sounds like
When doves cry
Touch if you will my stomach
Feel how it trembles inside
You’ve got the butterflies all tied up
Don’t make me chase you
Even doves have pride
How can you just leave me standing?
Alone in a world so cold?
Maybe I’m just too demanding
Maybe I’m just like my father too bold
Maybe you’re just like my mother
She’s never satisfied
Why do we scream at each other?
This is what it sounds like
When doves cry
How can you just leave me standing?
Alone in a world that’s so cold?
Maybe I’m just too demanding
Maybe I’m just like my father too bold
Maybe you’re just like my mother
She’s never satisfied
Why do we scream at each other?
This is what it sounds like
When doves cry
