hand in hand we stand together in a world with the lights turned up every shadow thrown in flux, we're stuck between two roads, one wreathed in fog the other choked so tight with thorns we can't turn back from this, can't turn back from this and like abraham, we count the righteous on one hand we bargain and we call into the mist is there a way to conquer this? does our snow white world just need a kiss to wake from blissful slumber does she need a prince or should we just have taken swords and bows and spears and guns and just waylaid the witch? reach out to wrench the poisoned apple from her hand so it might never touch her lips never touch my lips and have we been here before when we threw away that core back in the Garden did it taste like this? like blood, like bitterness, like tears? like this? step by step we've crept so high above the sky we think that we belong above the rain, the hail, the fog we think we have the eagle eye but we reject her downward spiral the wilful sacrifice, the final dive toward the shrouded peaks below, the stone and snow is where we all should make our home it's where we lay our bones and we were never eagles, this i know because my breath comes deep and slow i know no altitude, i come apart, i come unglued like any soul i'm only one part of a greater whole but my feet have tread on flesh and heavy bones that my fathers once weighed down with stones this i know and this i mourn and have we been here before naked and alarmed snatching leaves to cover up what once was only made for bliss? but violence grew up with our wisdom like this and did it feel like this? child by child, our fears grow wild, we smile with teeth to break the gaze we trap the other in a maze we sing how time will tell, they'll break the spell but don't unlock the chains, pretend we're all the same inside our walls so safe and warm chastising with our eyes the storm we've left them in but we won't let them in, we won't let them in we say, "the door is open, walk right in," and if they somehow do we whine about their muddy shoes we say "come back again when you look more presentable" we hide our eye sand sometimes cry refuse to be consoled at how they must be cold we come to them as glass and say they're stones but we are all just flesh and bone and have we been here before hiding in the corner as though we could remain unknown and did we look like this, like insects hiding under sticks? like this? and could we ever find a way to open up our hearts to pain and teach ourselves to not explain it all away? to end our fear of shame to listen and to let our children play to stay in bodies made of clay, to stay? solidarity will be our saving grace, our saving grace

take the message, ask no questions something about time and essence speak no evil, know no faces you weren't here, this never happened when the body breaks for faith these souls are left to cry out in the rain all the saints got nothing on this fearful witness if there is no sanctity to life what could our candles mean? all the pretty martyrs are going to meet their god leave your heart an empty vessel leave the city, cease the struggle all alone and away from trouble and you won't have to see them stumble when the spirit turns inside these souls are left to wander through the grey all the saints got nothing on this holy witness but if there is no joy to bring to these lost sheep, what can the message mean? all the pretty martyrs are going to meet their god can i get a witness? can i get a witness, baby? can i, can i, can i get a witness for this holy sickness, this yearning sickness, this hungry sickness this yearning sickness, this holy sickness when the body yearns for faith these souls will burn anew with sacred flame all the saints got nothing on this joyful witness every heart will shake with praise, the dead shall sing, all chains of bondage break all the pretty martyrs are crying for what we will see red and white, holy light, burning bright red and white, holy light, burning bright you will be with me but i need you to be here you will be with me but i made you to be here can i get a witness? can i get a witness? i'll be the witness i'll be the witness

lullay, lullay, lullay, my child lullay, lullay, lullay, my only child light the oven in the dark, she's workin' oh so hard save pennies for the market to feed the baby she didn't ask for is it worth it to you to hold him in your arms, or did you fear the way he grew, and wonder who you are? lullay, lullay, lullay, my child lullay, lullay, lullay, my only child he came up like a young plant; you always taught him to take a stand be strong, but be kind - anything you seek you're sure to find is it worth it to you to teach him right from wrong? is it worth it to you, as you sing your lonely cradle song? lullay, lullay, lullay, my child lullay, lullay, lullay, my only child full-grown now, cutting wood making tables like he should, like he should oh, he has your eyes, and a most seductive voice is it worth it to you to watch him draw a crowd, or do you fear the reaching hands which will tear away his crown? lullay, lullay, lullay, my child lullay, lullay, lullay, my only child is it worth it to you, when you know it won't be long? is it worth it to you, as you hold him dead in your arms? lullay, lullay, lullay, my child lullay, lullay, lullay, my only child are we worth it to you? are we worth it to you? lullay, lullay, lullay, my child lullay, lullay, lullay

little star, is it lonely in the sky? i confess i never thought to ask you why darkness was my time of day to review my sins and pray but you shine so bright regret can't find a place little star, you shine throughout all thoughts of pain little star, what's it like when planets die? can you hear them crackling, hear their voices cry? are they frightened at the end? can they even comprehend? in the fire of cosmic change are they refined? little star, do you meet them and judge their lives? little star, there's so much fear locked up inside little star, we are too tired to cry little star, there must be words that don't run dry little star, tell us why silent star, what's it like for us to die? do we end or do we start a strange new life? will the things we've done make sense? will earth have her recompense? will our selfishness be punished in the end? silent star, you keep your peace and only shine evening star, will my flesh of clay be torn? on my face you can see the lines of pain are scored will the things i've done to hurt weight my body in the earth? or is earth the only truth my body holds? evening star, can you bring peace to trembling bones? little star, you can't be seen in noonday light it is only in the dark i see you shine it is easy in the sun for faith to thrive but faith can best be tested in the night it is only in the dark we are refined kai to phos en te skotia phainei kai to phos en te skotia phainei

this is the sound of the earth spinning round of the planets, their shackles, each particle bound to its whole, to the cold limitation of other the breach from each mother the tangled alone oh, the hole the holy, holy hole this is the seed that has come into being the brooding, the breathing, the naked brand new the feeding, the rocking, the shocking elation the sweet separation, the love that pours out fills the hole the holy, holy hole the holy god-shaped hole oh, the hole the holy oceanic hole an ocean that cries for the fire of new life mitochondrial sighs reaching up, reaching out to the sky stars are for climbing the sky the ravenous light, oh, the sky the empty, waiting sky a star letting go and the parting of ocean the motion, kenosis, the earth letting go of her load the heavy, mortal load the weary adamic load letting go, letting go a cosmos that widens to welcome divine revelation the Word reaching out to creation oh hail! heavenly spheres singing hail hail, alleluia, oh hail hail to the stars and the soil and the sea and the winter and spring and to you and to me to the whole the holy, holy whole the holy cosmic whole the oceanic whole oh, the whole