O oh, I wait… oh… oh, will I wait? oh, why?
O Lord
…all hours …all my people all now all I want…
How I long… on my own now all now all now …on my own now… …and will to go now
oh, I’ll break now oh, why alone? oh, I’ll wait now. …oh on my own…
O Lord
…all… all gone… I will go my own… …on my own…
I will to go now
Go you know… I’m another… my people you go
I’ll go
…other people …another other people now… go on…
And I’ll pain to go my blood know my blood… …know my pain… …I’m not in pain now
O Lord, I want to say my silence
I’ll clean my hand …my fair flesh …and my eye my flesh is clean
O Lord
Remember?
I remember now… I know now… I know you… I’ll go now
I’ve no sympathy …all my suffering… …all my pain …my pleasure
All alone, I will go we suffer still …I feel still I sit still we can be greater still
And I know all my life… oh, I’m lost oh, I am gone all through my years…
I know
…all my hidden life… I’m lost in me I will need… …my love…
I know that I’m lost
…I wept I will not break …all my sorrow now …you will stay
I know I am gone I will go I’ll stay I’ll remain
know
I know now
I cry out from nowhere but I’m still here I’m not here I’ll be here I’m here
I cry out for days and years of forever…
…for those of whom we only know nothing…
…for those whose pain pours out of the skies…
…like darkness in the cold of silence…
I’m new
I’ll be gone
I’m all of me now
I’ll love you
You led them…
I’ll be you
I’ll be you…
I’m whole
I’ll make you whole
…you led them by the hand…
I’ll be near you…
…now
I’m you…
Whole now…
…but you wouldn’t lead me…
…now
…now …now
…now
…wouldn’t walk with me…
I am not me I am not myself
…now
…not now…
…through the darkness…
O…
O…
O… O…
…through the cold…
…through the skies…
…through the silence…
O Lord
II. ( THE WORLD’S A TOWN )
The world’s a town in which we cannot live
The world’s a town
The world’s a town where people breathe
The world’s a town in which we’re never meant to live
The world’s a town
The world’s a town we leave
The world’s a town!
Cling to me
Cling to me
Cling to my self
Cling to me, my people who pray
Cling to the anguish of my pain
Cling to my body
Cling to those who enthrone me
Cling now
Cling now
Cling to me
Cling to me, my people
Cling to the ones defenseless
Cling to my sadness
Cling to me
Cling to me
Cling to me
Cling now
Cling to me
Cling to me, my people who pray
Cling to the ones that have no water
Cling to my selfishness
Cling to my face
Cling to those who are weak
Cling to madness
Cling to me always
Cling to me and pray
Cling to me, my people who pray for pity
Cling to the ones that bury butterflies in the ground
Cling to the freedom of my anger
Cling to the side of me
Cling to those who are pitiful
Speak through my blood
Speak through the sacred
Speak through me now
Speak through all your silent souls
Speak through the imminent death
Speak through infinite night
Speak through my sweat and tears
Speak through the loud hurricane
II. BURNS I’D LIKE TO FORGET…
Speak through my name
Speak through the word
Speak through me
Speak through all your anger
Speak through the adopted
Speak through all time
Speak through hours and days
Speak through the whirlwind
Speak through my everything
Speak through the imminence
Speak through me, my son
Speak through all your amazement
Speak through the abyss in which you faltered
Speak through insatiable glory
Speak through my words and my blood
Speak through the pestilent diseases
Cling now
Cling now
Cling to me
Cling to me, my people
Cling to the ones that hunger
Cling to my sorrow
Cling to me
Cling to me
Cling now
Cling now
Cling to me
Cling to me, my prayerful people
Cling to the ones that climb unending
Cling to my bitterness
Cling to my hand
Cling to those who are blind
Speak through me
Speak through the blood
Speak now
Speak through your deeds
Speak through idols
Speak through me
Speak through my eyes
Speak through me now
Speak through my words
Speak through the skies
Speak through me
Speak through all your dead mouths
Speak through the seat of sin
Speak through all hours
Speak through teeth and nails
Speak through the locusts
Speak through my anger
Speak through the martyrdom
Speak through me, my child
Speak through all your innocent lives
Speak through the expanse on which you falter
Speak through oblivious silence
Speak through my head and my heart
Speak through water that is turned to blood
Speak through my non-existence
Speak through the unrelenting
Speak through me, my people
Speak through all your timeless buried sorrows
Speak through the stone on which you fell
Speak through intolerable sadness
Speak through my arms and my shoulders
Speak through the everlasting desert sand
Tell me now
Tell me my number
Tell me my name
Tell me all the absolute falsehoods
Tell me if his unyielding light is fading
Tell me her secret burdens
Tell me I’m forgotten
Tell me how I turned the other way
Tell me
Tell me
Tell me
Tell me all their lies
Tell me if he’s ever alive
Tell me her envy
Tell me I’ll die
Tell me how I live
Shouting
Shouting
Shouting
Shouting now
Shouting at me
Shouting
Shouting
Shouting always
Shouting my name
Shouting ’til I drown
Shouting with celibate abandon
Shouting at me because I’m tired
Shouting at my baby boy
Shouting at the wall
Shouting from everywhere
Tell me now
Tell me my home
Tell me every other end
Tell me if he forgot his lies
Tell me her vanity
Tell me I’m a fool
Tell me how I kill a crowd
Tell me
Tell me
Tell me now
Tell me all of it
Tell me if he’s away
Tell me her bounty
Tell me I’m free
Tell me how I’m wrong
Tell me always
Tell me my army
Tell me my country
Tell me insignificant lies to my face
Tell me if he abides a long and happy existence
Tell me her sleepless dreams and visions
Tell me I will always suffer
Tell me how I gather my villages
Shouting at me
Shouting my name
Shouting always
Shouting in abysmal tones
Shouting at me and everyone
Shouting at my daughter
Shouting at me
Shouting from here
Shouting always
Shouting the call
Shouting until now
Shouting in a way that’s immortal
Shouting at me because I’m poor
Shouting at my angry son
Shouting at the door
Shouting from my ascent
Tell me now
Tell me now
Tell me my crown
Tell me the only impure
Tell me if he’s upon my neck
Tell me her every thought
Tell me I can go
Tell me how I overcome
Tell me my fate
Tell me my presence
Tell me my office
Tell me unquestionable superstitions
Tell me if his arrival looms inside of another
Tell me her almost instant pleasure
Tell me I’ll be always with you
Tell me how I break the immobile gods
Shouting all the echoes
Shouting the woman’s name
Shouting until it burns
Shouting in a panicked and horrible aside
Shouting at me because I’m not obeying angels
Shouting at my elders and my descendants
Shouting at the barren land
Shouting from my elegant window
Shouting to me
Shouting the words
Shouting never
Shouting in my wounded ear
Shouting at my intolerance
Shouting at my brother
Shouting at me
Shouting all ways
Shouting all the lies
Shouting the dead man’s name
Shouting until you die
Shouting an always inverted sigh
Shouting at me because I haven’t told my name
Shouting at my mother and father
Shouting at the buildings
Shouting from the edifice
Chain my neck
Chain me
Chain the dead
Chain the young and healthy
Chain me for my guilt and shame
Chains of rope and cain
Chain me to the dark
Chain me to rock and sand
Chain my aching wrists
Chain me to myself
Chain the indigent
Chain the people waving their flags above
Chain me for my blessings and my arrogance
Chains of human promulgation
Chain me to the everlasting
Chain me to earth and to black volcanoes
Chain me
Chain me
Chain them
Chain their enemies
Chain me for my soul
Chains of snakes
Chain me to all
Chain me to carrion
And you bow down
Chain my shoulders
Chain me
Chain the poor
Chain the people battling
Chain me for my peace and pleasure
Chains of molten fire
Chain me to the ocean
Chain me to leafless trees
Chain me
Chain me
Chain them
Chain the ignorant
Chain me for my pain
Chains of snow
Chain me to death
Chain me to dirt and grass
And you bow down
Chain
Chain—
Chain them
Chain the old
Chain me—
Chain me—
Chain my soul
And you bow down
And you bow down to heaven with your tongue
And you bow down to God with your tongue
And you bow down to animals with your tongue
And the Lord commanded you to divide the sheep
And you parted the sheep
And you parted the others
And the people they drank the others
And the sheep of the sheep they drank
And the children they drank
And the greedy ones they drank
And the slaves they drank
And the weapons
(And...)
And the bows
And the arrows
And the trumpets, and the flags...
(And...)
...you put them in the shrine and kept them.
And the nations are wandering in the field
(And for the poor...)
And together the nations they drink a long and slowful drink
Not laying down their arms
(And for the poor...no drink)
(And for the poor...)
Even though they're thirsty for drink.
(And for the poor...crumbs)
(And for the poor...filth)
(And for the poor...prison)
(And for the poor...sweat)
(And for the poor...vermin)
(And for the poor...nothing)
(And for the poor...nothing)
(…nothing)
(…nothing)
IV. ( THE WORLD’S A TOWN )
You ask me if the fires are burning down my land
(The world's a town)
You ask me how I sleep at night
(The world's a town in which we'll never breathe)
You ask me if my brothers falling one by one has broken me
(The world's a town we learn)
You ask me whether I approve of hate
(The world's a town where people cannot pay their way)
You ask me if the crimes I've made are pure
(The world's a town we leave)
You ask me if the judge they murdered could have known
(The world's a town)
You ask me if the judge that they then stole will chain me in a cage
(The world's a town in which my petty anger lives)
You ask me if the world makes any sense at all
(The world's a town we'll burn)
The world's a town!
V. TEARS I’VE NEVER WEPT…
Blue sky is gray and love and love
Gray hair is white and love and torment
White sail is yellow and torment and fear
Yellow sun is red and fear and quiet
Red blood is blue and quiet and sleep
Blue grass is green and sleep and let go
Green forest is purple and let go and give
Purple shadows are black and forgive and understand
VI. ( THE WORLD’S A TOWN )
A book invented for the sake of itself
(The world’s a town)
A book describing six and six and seventy-two
(The world’s a town)
A book which shows the next and best is to be found out when there is pleasure in the reason
(The world’s a town)
A book of dates and fears
(The world’s a town)
A book with more respect for all who have to hear and have heard it
(The world’s a town)
A book that is narrowly placed upon the shelf
(The world’s a town)
A book which has made all who read it think of the hope they have that sometime they will have fairly nearly all of it at once
(The world’s a town)
A book which manages to impress upon the young that those who oppose them follow them
(The world’s a town)
A book that makes the end come just as soon as it is intended
(The world’s a town)
A book which asks questions of everyone
VII. NAMES OF THINGS I ONCE BELIEVED…
All Always
I am the book of silence
I am the mystery
All
Any
I am a perfect way of telling lies
I'm the single door of infinity
All Over all
All along
I am the people and I am almost wholly saved
Oh Only
I am not the prophet
I am the unsaid flattery and I'm the broken
Any
Over Only
Always Knowing
I am the dream and the waking night and the allencompassing fire of perdition
I'm the unaltered and the unwavering strength
I am the independent words and I'm the gratifying majesty of kindness
I am the darkened soul
I am worthy
I am heavy with the weight of all my prayers and all my righteousness
Why Waiting End
Ever
All Along
I am a thing and I am nothing
I'm still there
I'm afraid
I'm the life and the song and the world's embrace unending
And I'm trying And I am practicing to be seen
I'm seen
I am the deliverer of judgement and an unearthly vision and I am loved
I'm here
I'm the ancient and the ever-present now and I am all my pain
I am the people
I am an unwanted piece of rubble and I matter I'm now
I am the story and the purpose I am the slave and the broken I'm the chosen name and the one you ask when you are doubting I am me before I knew I am myself
I'm myself
Oh God, I don’t know them, I don't know their pain, I don't see them, I just walk on by like I'd walk up a road to heaven. Oh my God, what have I done?
O Lord
I don't want to love myself, but I will try and see...
O dear Lord ...now.
