from The Decision Is Mine (1989) words and music by Karin Blaine
‘…It’s the same old story we’ve come to know
Somebody’g getting elected on a woman’s soul
And down our bodies the line is drawn
The sides are taken and the fight is on…’Listen Here
GAZA
My dear fellow messiahs –
im4u
b4me
peace not war
love not hate
Note: I wrote GAZA in the fall of 2002 after attending a peace rally at Seattle Central Community College on Capital Hill. The Bush administration was doing a lot of sabre rattling and we were headed for Iraq in the spring. I felt I knew everyone in the crowd – listening to Seattle folk poet, Jim Page, perform for us. We had all been together protesting the Viet Nam War decades earlier. I felt so sad and discouraged.
GAZA
Oh, mama! Look up in the sky.
Another star has lost it’s light
It used to shine on Gaza but it is no more
Oh! the darkness loves a war
I had a sister with a beautiful laugh that made living worthwhile
Then one day she got caught in a blast
And now I just want to kill
Oh, Mama! Look up in the sky
Another star has lost it’s light
It used to shine on Bagdad but it is no more
Oh! the darkness loves a war
I had a father with a gentle heart who taught me wrong from right
Then one day he didn’t come home
And now I just want to fight
Oh, Mama! Look up in the sky
Another star has lost its light
It used to shine on Kandahar but it is no more
Oh! the darkness loves a war
Gather ‘round all ye lovers of peace the night is closing in
Comes join hands with me and we’ll take to the streets again
Some love war and some will kill but it is not our fate
Believe love will conquer hate!
Oh, Mama! look up in the sky
Another star has lost it’s light
It used to shine on Manhattan but it is no more
Oh! the darkness loves a war.
It used to shine on Manhattan but it is no more
Oh! the darkness loves a war.
It used to shine on Manhattan but it is no more
Oh! the darkness loves a war.
All rights reserved ⓟ© 2003 Karin Blaine/dudessdahlis records
LOVER
With covers crumpled and time undone
Nothing tucked in and all corners free
You fell asleep next to me
And I knew I must look at you
Slowly and I did – lingering over every part
I stared at the top of your head
The mussed hair with strands of gray
Features crunched by your cheek on hands in palm-to-palm prayer
Squishing your mouth and the beautiful deep blue eyes
Shut from me – resting the voracious sight that sought to satisfy
Everything – in you and in me
I loved you
Across your chest and out an arm
The muscle with a certain shape was yours all yours
Except when encircling me – then the shape was ours
And – yes – not exactly as it used to be
But there you lay next to me now more
The belly and the hair
Oh! I would lay my cheek there and rub side to side
Soft man of mine soft man of mine
And your drive gone limp with glistening slime
Of mine, of mine
I loved you
And I took you in I took you in
Down your thighs and knees and shins
I will never forget –
You may
You will
But I look for your eyes to open still
KING
In the clear cold water I met the KING
Through the glistening sunny morning sheen
He was there
Caught in the shallows ten pounds no less
Gently bumping against the net
I stood in water up to my shins
I am trapped
No way out
On an ebbing tide
In a flash a way was made
With a nudge he swam on
I smiled
The captain yelled “Damn!”
He’s worth some dough!”
I pretended like I didn’t know
The king
was free
I saved the King
God save me!