1. |
Open The Gate
03:47
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Lift the latch, there’s no more halting now
Now you know my heart, so take my hand, let’s start out walking
With the sweet taste of waking, your smile on my lips
The sun winks and slips her way on tiptoes
Tossing her dancing light through the leaves at your window
We throw off the blankets and night tucks her sand in the pockets of her moon robes
Vanishing into the brightness
Open the gate love, pull me spinning into the arms of a new day
Open the gate, mmm. . . gimme some laughter, You’re making up the way
Secret door, we crawl down through the floor,
the tunnel twists — there are roots in the ceiling, and frogs on the rocks
They point the direction, because they can’t talk
We’re believing in symbols, forgetting the clocks
Our feet quick and nimble, dancing out of the box
The dark makes me tremble, but we’re giving off sparks
We stay safe as a thimble in our bright red socks
Oh my darling, my darling, I’ll give you Clementines and ripened rhymes for breakfast
I am yours and you are mine, I think we’d better duck fast
‘Cause the time flies buzz around our heads
Try to infect us with real life dread and deadlines
But I hope you’re listening this time
Open the gate love, I’ll pull you spinning into the arms of a new day
Open the gate, mmm . . . shining brightly, discovering the way
Over pebbles to the lake, the small waves breaking
The water is warm to our waists, to ease the aching
The day is kind and calm and waking
And you hold my hand here
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2. |
Denmark
03:23
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Denmark ain’t so far away, I could get there in a day
Just pay the price, get on the plane and fly
Denmark ain’t so far away, I took a map out yesterday
How I hate to hear you say goodbye
Tivoli’s a piece of Eden and there’s that brand new bridge to Sweden
The Little Mermaid’s gone and lost her head
Things I try to think instead
Denmark ain’t so far away, but here it’s Independence Day
I hear the fireworks on the Mall were cool
Denmark ain’t so far away, the legend seems to point the way
A thousand miles are just an inch of blue
After work I drive home slow. There’s nowhere that I need to go
I know everything will be all right.
I hope I dream of Denmark through the night
Denmark ain’t so far away, I could get there in a day
Just pay the price, get on the plane and fly
I hope I dream of Denmark, dream of you in Denmark
I hope I dream of Denmark through the night
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3. |
Shining
04:07
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So much fog that sunrise formed a blinding white band across the horizon
In between the grey of sky and ocean
And the light’s diffused, it’s so used to the call of many voices
It goes shining out, shining out, shining
Shining, shine shining, shine
Your hand is on the small of my back and our talking turns to life-boat rafts
That will not save us should we fall overboard
So I try to ignore the small warmth that is your hand
But too far from land this heat expands and it’s shining
Shining, shine shining, shine
Pulled in two directions, the cradle rocks under the moon
Twins move in separate ways, our hearts’ path is hewn in two
But I’m traveling to the city my eyes gather their blue
As part of me stays on these north highways watching for you, watching for you
Watching for you
People can say this is all past tense
As your face fades with time and distance,
but you know legends grow from just a brief glimpse of
Something beautiful, something strange
And if I ever see your face again, you know my eyes will be shining
Shining, shine shining, shine
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4. |
The Bravest Thing
03:45
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The crowd had thinned as she strode across the square,
He said, “I watched you taking the city.
I think you are so beautiful in brown my dear. I am not fit for a queen.
But I drew the bird that brought you here. I was wondering if you might stay
There he stood sun reflecting in his eyes as he awaited her reply
She said, “I first saw you at the top of that wall, the crowd was all rushing by
I wouldn’t have even noticed, she sighed,
“But then suddenly this hush and a quiet chord was ringing through me
The bravest thing is to stand alone in the light, stripped of your shell
Admitting that you’re not so sure you turned out right
Defenses dropped, the jay-bird’s heart, how you can see it beating
It won’t be all curls and tail-coats gusting
For there’s work and acres of dreams in our hands
Love is not a metal that fears rust, it’s the promise of dry land
And when our work takes us far across the sea
Two hands joined as wings we will follow in our freedom
Our freedom, free
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5. |
We Are The Grain
03:28
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In the fire of the year, we gather here
To offer thanks for the bread and the beer
Made from the grain we sowed in the spring
Symbol of life turning, Symbol of life turning
In the fire of the year we gather here
Sun-brown faces, earth-stained hands
Compelled by the sun, released by the rain
We are the grain. We are the grain. We are the grain
With sun-browned faces, earth stained hands
With Autumn upon us, we look to the land
To the green of the corn and the gold of the wheat
With grace from the heavens, our harvest is sweet
With grace from the heavens, it’s sweet
Sow from your harvest, give of your gifts
Swift is each season’s refrain
Yours to remember, yours to sustain
Compelled by the sun, released by the rain
We are the grain, born from the seed
We give of ourselves to others in need
Planted with promise and bound by the hour
We come here in joy aware of our power
We come here in joy and power
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6. |
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You never can see the witch but you know she’s always waiting
To numb the broken heart, to nerve the brittle will
You never can see the witch, but her name goes before her
Calling through the empty, you simply can’t ignore
You never can see the witch, but for explosions of color
In the mist-drenched trees, smoking prisms in the leaves
You never can see the witch, but her laughter lengthens with the shadows
Thickening, quickening as the sun goes down
I am a peddler, I don’t deal in spells, but beautiful bottles I sell
Dust off the age, hold it up to the light, its just
glass filled with water, colored and bright,
Catching the glow of the sunlight
You never can see the witch, for the darkness grows around her
Flooding through the fragile and filling up your head
You never can see the witch, with grief wandering wild
You’re searching for a vision, but nothing lies ahead
You never can see the witch, but the townsfolk venture in
Foregoing light and reason their problems for to plead
You never can see the witch, but you often see the damage
In the glassy eyes and wild hands, the payment craving cure
I am a peddler, I don’t deal in spells, but beautiful bottles I sell
Dust off the age, hold it up to the light, its just
glass filled with water, colored and bright,
Catching the glow of the sunlight
Won’t you come on by?
And if you sit, we’ll talk a bit, and tell all the stories we know
Solid and true, the words changing hue,
This laughter we choose, it’s a magic we all can do
Not hidden in trees, but out in plain view
It’ll help you through
You never can see the witch but you know she’s always waiting
To numb the broken heart, to nerve the brittle will
You never can see the witch, but her name goes before her
Calling through the empty,
Are you really so empty?
Just dust off the age, step into the light, the air is clean and bright
Your heart may be hurting, but you’re healing inside,
I see the strength in your eyes, I see the laughter inside
I see the light from the sky
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7. |
Light In Your Window
02:11
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I see your light in the window ,
Your body’s reflection is hiding the night
I can’t even see down to the street, where an hour ago I waved hello to your
Silhouette up in the window
An over-tipped taxi-cab pulls from the curb
Not even aware of the plane in the air, where an hour before I knew for sure that
Down among thousands of windows
One light shines brightest, waiting for me
The hour may be late but you are awake, yeah,
I close my eyes, imagine that I…
I see your light in the window,
Your body’s reflection is hiding the night
I can’t even see down to the street, where an hour ago, where an hour ago . . .
I waved hello
Oh, it’s good to be home
All the days and the distance are swept away, swept away
Oh, it’s good to be home
Some feelings should swallow you whole
Hello
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8. |
True Love
03:42
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I'm gonna take you out, I'm gonna hold your hand
I'm gonna rub your feet, I'm gonna be your man
I'm gonna make you so happy for the rest of my life
I'm gonna shovel your driveway, gonna split your logs
I'm gonna fly your kite, I'm gonna walk your dogs
I'm gonna be there with you, for the rest of my life
It ain't all kisses, honeymoon wishes, Baby, I'm here to stay
Romance is fine, I'll be your Valentine
But true love happens every day
I'm gonna save my money gonna buy this house
Maybe build another cabinet and catch that little mouse
I'll be your handy man for the rest of my life
I'm gonna draw your bath, I'm gonna wash your hair
I'm gonna match the socks and fold the underwear
I'll keep everything tidy for the rest of my life
I'm gonna join the church and drive the kids to school
Pack their lunches and make up some rules
I'll be a family man for the rest of my life
I'm gonna meet the neighbors for a potluck dinner
Gonna play some cards, I'm gonna be the winner
'Cause I'll be your partner for the rest of my life
True love happens everyday, True love happens everyday
True love happens everyday, True love happens everyday
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9. |
Not A Rocket
02:39
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I’m not a rocket, I’m a hot air balloon
I’m not reaching for the stars, just a panoramic view
I’m not lost in the clouds,
I won’t lose sight of the ground
When I sing to the canyons,
I want to hear the echo sound
With a fair gust of weather,
I will untie my tether
And float like a feather away
At the whim of the wind of the day
When I wave from my basket
I want to see folks waving back at me
I want to keep an eye on my shadow
Passing over the forest and the trees
Go around the world in eight hundred days
My journey’s got no destination,
Well I’ll never be late
With a fair gust of weather,
I will untie my tether
And float like a feather away
At the whim of the wind of the day
I’m not a rocket
I’m a hot air balloon
I’m not reaching for the stars
Just a panoramic view
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10. |
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11. |
Willow
04:26
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What is Love that weaves together the summer sun and autumn leaves
A fleeting day of warmth and color framed in frost, sweet memory
May you have strength of the weeping willow
May you bend to the wailing wind
May you stand, chin to fiddle
‘Til broken sky will dawn again
What is Love that trades the singer for the bow across the strings
Each relies upon the other though one must rest while one still sings
What is Love that rules the heavens, the moon eclipsed just when she’s full
Then shrouded in her lover’s shadow, she must emerge and still be whole
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12. |
Anne Stanton
03:44
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It was 50 years ago Anne Stanton made that dive,
On that night she saved her life, this was no suicide
The summer sky was heavy as she climbed up high
Her heart was heavy, but the moon shone so bright
Alone against the sky, she drew a breath and centered every energy
on leaning out and pushing off the edge
She was pushing off the edge
And falling fast she felt no fear, her mind was closed to any
but the feeling of her body bending,
muscles taut, arms outstretched
So claiming her decision, she split the surface sweetly,
She swam back to the shoreline and was gone
I wish I had that fortitude, I wish I had that vision,
As claiming her decision, she dove
She was claiming her decision to go
It was 50 years ago, that Anne made that dive,
I’m still trying
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13. |
Leaves
06:12
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In the blue between the yellow branches leaves
a trace of southbound birds
I see you
In the sweet decay of rain-soaked apple trees
a wisp of burning oak
I smell you
In the season of dying, at last I remember my life
In the creek beneath the rustle, fantasy
in words read from a book
I hear you
In the lips kissed deep in dreaming
early freeze, cider and pumpkin pie
I taste you
In the season of dying, at last I remember my heart
In the breath from open windows, sweater sleeves
the weight of flannel sheets
I feel you
And in naiveté remembered history
that can but once be leaves
I miss you
In the season of dying, at last there’s a reason to live
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14. |
Moss Sanctuary
04:12
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15. |
Heavenly
07:16
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Heavenly sunlight is shining through
those bright white clouds and the blue sky is filling me through
like glorious strains of music
Music, singing of love we echo
the light from above as we gather our voices together
All hearts are welcome here
We are spirits borne on the wind,
Seedlings stirring with spring
A forest formed from the ashes
We are part of everything
Everything comes to us from the giving
We give of ourselves in creating a future we want for our children,
for our wholeness
Holy, the spirit of life surrounds us
And poets and teachers abound sustaining our minds,
They lead us to find our purpose in time
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