THE CURRENCY OF FORGIVENESS
coffee brewed hours before she’s awake
hot water saved for the shower he takes
drives with no sense of direction
sometimes accepts of a course correction
listens to the same story told a hundred times
waits patiently at the end of the line
holding doors…holding tongues
it all evens out when our days are done
CHORUS worth all you have…and nothing less
all the tears and years that you invest
there from the moment you met
no IOU'S… no repaid debts
in the currency of forgiveness
an apology long before there’s a fight
no admission of who’s wrong or who’s right
a halfhearted confession
from some past life indiscretion
CHORUS worth all you have…and nothing less
it’s a beautiful complicated mess
will it all add up to happiness?
no IOU'S… no repaid debts
in the currency of forgiveness
It’s a long haul…there’s bumps in the road
It’s only heavy if you don’t share the load
no regrets …big or small
always say I love you before nightfall
CHORUS worth all you have…and nothing less
life keeps you up at night but love never rests
isn’t this why you both said yes
no IOU'S… no repaid debts
in the currency of forgiveness
in the currency of forgiveness
ALL WE’RE HOPING FOR
a little bit of hope is all we’re hoping for.
find our way to an open door
our fingers crossed
before all is lost
a little bit of hope…is all we’re hoping for.
some sign of life is all we’re living for
on the losing end of a lopsided score
getting hard to see
or show humanity
some sign of life is all we’re living for
who feels the loss?…which side will win?
will god absolve all our earthly sins?
an honest act of love is all we’re longing for
unchain the prisoners of this war
free to forgive
and at last admit
an honest act of love is all we’re longing for
a little bit of hope is all we’re hoping for.
find our way to an open door
our fingers crossed
before all is lost
a little bit of hope… is all we’re hoping for.
at the end of our rope
under a microscope
a little bit of hope… is all we’re hoping for.
THERE I WAS
there i was in Chula Vista
used my last piece of good luck
looking for a little resurrection
to get myself unstuck
it was a town of one too many
a place with no point of view
punched my ticket to the promised land
thought every word you said was true
CHORUS: seems like I’m living on the wrong side of nowhere
no roots in the ground
yeah, I’m living on the wrong side of nowhere
the lost that can’t be found
left me here with empty pockets
a ring short of a wedding band
staring at the wreckage all around me
‘bout to make my last stand
CHORUS: seems like I’m living on the wrong side of nowhere
no roots in the ground
yeah, I’m living on the wrong side of nowhere
the lost that can’t be found
BRIDGE:
did you get what you wanted
did you mean to set me free
your escape route just wasn’t
always clear to me.
not sure where I go from here
what I am looking for
will I even recognize it
If it walked right through the door
CHORUS: i’m tired of living on the wrong side of nowhere
putting my roots in the ground
no more living on the wrong side of nowhere
the lost that’s been found
I was lost but now I’m found
SOMETHING ANYTHING
I’m looking for something positive today
I’m looking for something positive today
on every street on every face
momentary signs of grace
I’m looking for something positive today
I’m looking for something I believe in today
I’m looking for something I believe in today
to leave fears far behind
restore faith in humankind
I’m looking for something I believe in today
BRIDGE: could be something big or something small
could be almost nothing at all
might not mean a thing
maybe changes everything
I’m looking for something I can give you today
Looking for something I can give you today
to quell all of the noise
a little peace, a little joy
I’m looking for something I can give you today
I’m looking for something I can give you today
I’m looking for something positive today
I’m looking for something I believe in today
FALLING NO MORE
there are falls from grace…falling stars from the sky
Fall in New England…washing over your eyes
the fall that you take when you meet your hearts end
you may never recover from that one again
there are falls you barely survive
others make you feel more alive
CHORUS: we keep falling, falling and falling like rain
soaked to the bone…aching and drained
we keep falling, falling asking where, how and why
and hope that one day we will rise
falling off the wagon falling off a bike
one or the other can change your life
there are falls you see coming…falls you endure
falls where you dream of a better world
an oak falls in a lightening flash
no gettin’ back up no second chance
CHORUS: we keep falling, falling and falling like rain
soaked to the bone…aching and drained.
we keep falling, falling asking where, how and why
wait for the time we will rise.
BRIDGE: rise up. rise up. fly and soar. rise up. rise up.
falling no more
CHORUS: no more falling, falling and falling away
peaceful. protected. Free from the pain
no more falling and falling or tears to be cried
now is the time we will rise. now is the time we will rise
LOST LOVE LETTERS
he was rootin’ around in that old root cellar
looking for a bag of mail
trying to find some lost love letters crumbs left along a trail
lined paper torn from a bound notebook written in ball point pen
from me to you…words so true or was he just imaginin’
CHORUS: no it’s not the one you haven’t met
only the one that you can’t forget
memories may fade
but a promise never made
is a promise always kept
can’t go back …can’t move on no matter which way he chose
like a fragile moth to a fiery flame he was drawn to get too close
CHORUS: no it’s not the one you haven’t met
only the one that you can’t forget
memories may fade
but a promise never made
is a promise always kept
BRIDGE: he said i love you so many times
or was it only in his wayward mind
reading in between the lines
he’s still searching for a sign
maybe in the one to Paris stamped but never sent
pages that elude him now of a love that came and went
CHORUS: no it’s not the one you haven’t met
only the one that you can’t forget
memories may fade
but a promise never made
is a promise always kept
COMPACT LIFE
got a compact car
whole lot easier to park
fits in those hard to fit spaces
never a part of street drag races
driving next to an SUV…Well I feel a little puny
good on gas, near and far i got a compact car
got a compact build
five foot five still strong willed
as a kid, I was sorta stocky
bad for hoops good for hockey
wished i was tall and thin…and maybe a bit more significant
no fashion sense no frills…I got a compact build
BRIDGE: but I’m expanding my heart
stretching out my soul
letting my spirit span this entire earthly globe
ain’t gonna let this moment go
got a compact disc
all it took was to take a few risks
folks who believed in me
all my friends, my extended family
got no vinyl or cassettes…nor many financial assets
can anyone still play this?…I got a compact disc
got compact life
some of you may wonder why
downsized a few years ago
here’s what I’ve got to show
a smaller carbon footprint…a 42 year sacrament.
still makes me feel so alive…I got a compact life
I got a compact life. Oh yeah
I got a compact life with a compact car and a compact build
I got a compact life with a compact disc in a compact world
I got a compact life
a compact home, compact wife…I love my compact life
SUNDAY MORNING
A poem by Marjorie Ward
Sunday to Mass, then home for a treat
Breakfast is special, service is neat
Clean up and pack, beds made by the clock
Yellow car waiting to drive down to the dock
Routine takes over, boys hoist the boat
Girls mind the babies, order by rote
Baskets on board, skipper in place
Motor is started, slow now is the pace.
Slow now is the pace
Slow now is the pace.
Gone is the hurry, no more rush that day
Leisure takes over, we’re under way
Family joy creates a bond
Parents are friends and the children they respond
Now they are gone those joyous days
Love nurtured them, it eased our ways
Those Sundays still live in each members heart
They keep us a family even though we’re far apart.
Even though we’re far apart.
Even though we’re far apart.
I FOLLOW
I followed my sisters and brothers
I followed the temptation of others
worked hard to fit in…inside a different skin
I begged, stole and borrowed…but mostly I followed
morning mass…a heathen acolyte
heaven or hell…well it could be either side
said all my childhood confessions
not sure now about any of those lessons
I followed…the stations of the cross
gave credit for the wins…took blame for every loss
I prayed that those wafers…were actually the savior
cheap wine was the blood I swallowed…I served and followed
cut off jeans and faded t-shirts
six packs, cigarettes.. driving round the outskirts
wasting our lives, our futures, our pasts
hoping to death that the die had not been cast
I followed the dream we were sold
could not tell the truth from lies we were told
tried to outrun…the things that I’ve done
just to make it through tomorrow…oh I followed
Bridge: to avoid detection, hide my own reflection, an acne filled complexion, a guilt ridden erection…falling far short of perfection
now I follow the road less travelled
turn by turn the secret gets unraveled
I will follow a girl…to the ends of the earth
my soul no longer hollow…my heart I follow
oh I follow my heart I follow…oh I follow
THIS OLD LIFE GOES
today I saw my old friend Tim
truth be told there wasn’t much left of him
it was his face, his hands and curls of hair
but a big part of him was no longer there.
he grabbed my arm and stared into my eyes
not sure it’s me that he really recognized
always took on whatever life would throw
it’s just the way…. this old life goes.
CHORUS what part of us is the first to go?
brushing our teeth or touching our toes
will we still dream? or want ice cream?
be out of our mind? or just doing time?
guess it’s the way the old wind blows.
guess it’s just the way…this old life goes…this old life goes.
sweet grand baby squirms upon his lap
both wearing diapers and could use a little nap
no more work—the occasional sing-along
each day’s the same from dusk to dawn.
CHORUS
it’s not about fairness about wrong or right
so make sure you kiss your loved ones goodnight
memories get stolen with eyes opened or closed
it’s just the way… this old life goes.
this old life goes…this old life goes.
SMILE
we always seemed so young…til suddenly we were not
brothers, sisters, mom and dad…the whole big lot
as we scattered then gathered together back again
preparing ourselves for our second wind.
we remember all hands folded ready to say grace
each and every one of us is in our narrow little place
never let on there’s a loose tooth on the edge of your gums
Cause that dentist’s work, well, it’s never done
CHORUS: smile, it’s what we all got from him
smile for the camera and let it smile back again
smile for the slides and the prints and the film
It’s how we’ll remember him
there were ten of us at one time- now we’re down to six
brand new additions add life into the mix
face forward for the portrait we hear the camera click.
deep in hearts we hear life’s clock tock tick
CHORUS: smile even though we are aching inside
smile side by side by side
smile no matter the shape we’re in
record the moment then begin again
A mouth full of big teeth, silver hair and dark eyes
as the wind hits over the starboard side
and though the pain of loss is still right there
we can smell the river in the thick morning air
CHORUS: smile, it’s what we all got from him
smile for the camera and let it smile back again
smile for the slides and the prints and the film
that’s how we’ll remember him
REPEAT CHORUS