The Right to Heal

I’ve been in the storm so long.

I’ve been in the storm so long, children.

Been in the storm so long.

Oh, give me little time to pray.

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Come, come, come,

lovely and soothing death.

Undulate round the world,

serenely arriving, arriving, 

In the day, in the night,

to all, to each, to all to each,

Sooner, sooner or delicate death.

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Refrain:

I been thinkin’ ‘bout

how to talk about greed. (2x)

I been wond’rin’ if I could sing about greed,

try’n’ to find a way to talk about greed.

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Greed is a poison rising in this land.

The soul of the people

twisted in its command.

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It moves like a virus seeking out ev’ryone.

Greed never stops its work,

is never ever done.

Refrain

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It moves within the culture

touching us all,

Greed really isn’t picky, 

it’ll make anybody fall.

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Greed is a strand in the American dream.

Having more than you need

is the essential theme.

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Refrain

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Maybe you don’t know exactly

what I mean

You don't really want to know

about your and my greed.

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Greed is sneaky and

hard to detect in myself. 

It shows itself clearly in everybody else.

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Refrain

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I can see it in you, You can see it in me.

We can see it in big corporations, 

all throughout the government. 

See it in the banks,

I can see it in the military.

See it in the church.

I can see it in my neighbor.

It all shows up clearly. 

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Refrain

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In the dark and distant year,

The wand’rer weary, full of fear

Confronts a fated force

more powerful than life. 

A carriage made of sea has come

to take his wife.

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The waves too dark and deep to swim

He hears his love cry out to him,

Her piercing anguish rising high

above the foam.

“Please don’t let go of me for you,

You are my home!”

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From the shore he sees his bride

As she fights hard against the tide

He swears a sacred vow

that ev’ry loved one keeps. 

He steels himself,

Takes one last breath, 

And leaps.

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If snow falls on the far field where travelers spend the night, I ask you cranes, to warm my child in your wings.

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Tubes, tables, white-washed windows.

Grime from age wiped over once. 

Legs spread. Anxious. Anxious.

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Eyes crawlin up on me. 

Eyes rollin’ in my thighs. 

Metal horses gnaw at my womb. 

Dead mice fall from my mouth.

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I didn’t really mean to, 

I didn’t really think I could,

Just one day off. 

Get offa’ me all o’ this blood! 

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Bones shattered like soft ice cream cones. 

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I couldn’t have all o’ those people

lookin’ at me pregnant. 

I couldn’t have my friends see this.

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This, this dyin’ danglin’ ‘tween my legs

and I didn't say a word.

Not a sigh. 

Not a sigh or a fat scream.

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Scream to get those eyes offa me!

Get those steel drums outta me!

Get those eyes up offa me!

Get those steel drums outta me!

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This hurts! This hurts me!

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Eyes crawlin’ up on me. 

Eyes rollin’ in my thighs. 

Metal horses gnaw at my womb. 

Dead mice fall from my mouth.

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I didn’t really mean to, 

I didn’t really think I could,

Just one day off. 

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Get offa’ me all o’ this blood! 

Get offa’ me all o’ this blood!

Get offa’ me all o’ this blood!

Get offa’ me all o’ this blood!

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Bones shattered like soft ice cream cones.

And nobody came ‘cause nobody knew once I was pregnant and ‘shamed of myself.

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Child of wonder

Child of sky

Time to end your voyage

Time to die.

Weary waters beckon

Dark and deep

Child of soft surrender

Child of sleep.

Child of sorrow

Child of rain

There is no tomorrow

No more pain.

Turn your silvered sails

Toward the light

Child of mourning

Child of night.

Child of iridescence

Child of dream

Stars and moons will guide you

Down the stream.

Stretched on ocean waves

Exchanging foam

Welcome home my child

Welcome home.

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Sitting in a big white room alone

Tilt my head back, feel the tears fall down

Close my eyes to see in the dark

I feel young, broken, so, so scared

I don't wanna be here anymore

I wanna be somewhere else

Normal and free, like I used to be

But I have to stay in this big white room

With little old me

I'm going crazy

I'm losing my mind

I'm going crazy

In this big white room of mine

I'm going crazy

I'm losing my mind

I'm going crazy

In this big white room of mine

Sitting in a big white room alone

Close the door

Don't want the pain to come in

I clench my fist

And try to stay strong

I cry, feel sick

My heart is beating out of control

Can I run run faster than you

I wanna feel my body again

Feel the wind in my hair

But I have to stay in this big white room

'Cause no one else cares, no

I'm going crazy

I'm losing my mind

I'm going crazy

In this big white room of mine

I'm going crazy

I'm losing my mind

I'm going crazy

In this big white room of mine

Everybody's looking at me

Everybody's staring at me

What do I do now

Smile, yeah

Everybody's looking at me

Everybody's staring at me

What do I do now

Smile, yeah

I'm going crazy

I'm losing my mind

I'm going crazy

In this big white room of mine

I'm going crazy

I'm losing my mind

I'm going crazy

In this big white room of mine

I'm going crazy

I'm losing my mind

I'm going crazy

In this big white room of mine

I'm going crazy

I'm losing my mind

I'm going crazy

In this big white room of mine

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Cold winds blow over my barren soul,

Scattered pieces of my life across broken time,

I am alone.

Surrounded by eternity

I hear a voice

Calling me:

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Come back…

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I am broken, yet whole.

Listen deeply,

Your true self sings

Throw open the door,

Come back to that voice,

Share that voice,

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Your voice…

One of these days I’ll learn to talk to you

so you can hear the love, believe the love

through the words that scare you.

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Maybe we can share all the wounds

we’ve inflicted on each other.

Oh mama, oh mama, I want to know you.

Who stole the ease of apology from you?

What made everyone a threat?

Where is the place that cut your wings?

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When can I see her, the child in you

that aches to know

why she cannot speak?

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I want to know her so I can know you.

So she can meet the child in me too.

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Hear the love, believe the love

through the words that scare you.

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So she can meet the child in me too.

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Chorus:

Everybody oughta treat a stranger right.

Everybody oughta treat a stranger right.

And everybody oughta treat a stranger right.

A long way from home,

A long way from home,

 A long way, a long way from home

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Verse 1:

Be mindful how speaking.

Be careful how you go along.

You must always treat a stranger right.

Don't insult him in your home,

don't insult him in your home

and everybody oughta treat a stranger right.

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(Repeat Chorus)

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Verse 2:

Well all of us are strangers

and none of us has a home.

You must never hurt your brother or sister

and cause them to pull their own, 

And cause them to pull their own

and everybody oughta treat a stranger right.

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‍(Repeat Chorus)