Not Afraid

 

 

1. On Your Shore

 

It makes me wonder

This cosmic blunder that we are

Color blind and tone deaf

How'd we ever get this far?

The walking wounded

Trying to see our way through our scars

Like ships at sea

The wind blows but our sails won't unfurl

Cast me on your shore

I care no more for this world

We have fallen from the time

When love was yours and mine

And grew freely in our hearts and in our minds

Now we must try again

To love once more my friend

There's no telling what we'll find

Cast me on your shore

I will no more look behind

Cast me on your shore

We must be willing to compromise

With what we've always known

Wipe the sleep out from your eyes

Can't you feel it in your bones?

It's time we were gone

Cast me on your shore

I am waiting for the dawn

Cast me on your shore

Don't make me wait too long

Cast me on your shore

So long so long

 

2. Down

 

Come on down here where I am

Leave your hope there by the door

Come on down here where I am

No need to fight it anymore

Come on down the voices say

Come on down, down here to stay

Come on down I know you know the way

The way down

Come on down here where I am

I know you've been down here before

It's an open invitation you don't need a reservation

Just the sorrow that you can't ignore

Come on down the voices say

Come on down, down here to stay

Come on down I know you know the way

The way down

Let darkness' daughter wrap you in her arms

Lay you gently on the floor

You know you know she can't do you no harm

Except the harm that you ask for

Come on down the voices say

Come on down, down here to stay

Come on down I know you know the way.

 

3. Portrait

 

Color is my sanctuary

I take refuge in brilliant hues

And these days are strewn around me

In violet, crimson, greens, and blues.

I want to paint your portrait everyday

But you will not hold still

I want to read your fortune, but you say

That you’re afraid

Your heart might spill,

Your heart might spill.

You're afraid your heart might spill.

Break the tendrils of the ordinary,

That wrap you in the dark and dim

Wrapped so tightly in your own sad story

Your doors tight shut, your eyes are grim

Won't you let me in?

I want to paint your portrait everyday

But you will not hold still

I want to read your fortune, but you say

That you’re afraid.

Your heart might spill, your heart might spill.

You're afraid your heart might spill

Color is my sanctuary

I take refuge, I take refuge.

 

4. Savior at The Bus Stop

 

I met a savior at the bus stop

She said she'd lost her faith in God

A man sitting next to her

Said it really doesn't matter

You still are who you are.

She said she was a poet

But stopped writing

She had nothing more to say.

He said he was a painter

But stopped painting

When all his colors turned to gray.

Come and wake the world from its slumber!

Come and shake us from our beds!

We would follow if someone led

Next to me there sat an actor

Crying to himself, sad and alone.

He said he'd played so many roles

None of which he chose

And now he'd forgotten his own

I said savior have you no wisdom

To offer us before you go?

She just smiled and shook her head

Looked me in the eye and softly said

I don't know, I don't know.

Cause I tried to wake the world from its slumber

I tried to shake us from our beds

I tried to break this spell we're under

But no one followed where I led

So if you see a savior at the bus stop

Don't expect too much

She’s probably got a broken heart

This world can be so hard

Seems even saviors have it rough

 

5. Midnight

 

Hey, hey Midnight

Won't you wake me when you're here?

I don't mind, I don't mind, if I disappear

Wrap myself in twilight

Feel the darkness on my skin

Don't forget now Midnight

Won't you wake me when you get in

I will wade, wade in your softly scented waters

I will wait for you to come home

Want is a knife that shapes my life

Cuts through the flesh, cuts through the bone.

Hey,  hey Midnight

Won't you wake me when you appear

Won't you help me find help me find my tears

There's so much to tell you

I don't know where to begin

Don't forget now Midnight

Won't you wake me when you get in

I will walk in your quiet garden

I will dream of people I’ve known

Blade in my side turns with the tide

Cuts through the flesh, cuts through the bone

Hey, hey midnight won't you wake me when it's clear

Tell me again tell me again, there's nothing to fear.

 

6. Fall or Flight

 

How many times must I fall?

How many times must I call your name?

How many times must I count my wishes?

Count my blessings cause it's all the same to you

Who fill your days

Watching for signs you say

Right time, right people, right place

To leap your walls, let your curtain fall and fly

Go on fly

How many times must you block your self in

With your talk of sin and tired metaphors?

How many times must you pull your self down

Too loaded to walk through the door

To the wide and waiting world?

Go on girl and fly

And when you land you may find

All that's changed is your mind

And that's everything

Open your eyes, you realize

The only difference between fall and flight is you

The only difference between fallen and flight is you

The only difference

The difference is you

 

7. Providence

 

Hey, Providence

Come and share a chocolate sundae with me 

My innocence has stood me up

There's plenty here for two

Ask the waitress for another spoon

Sit down here let her fill your coffee cup

We'll sit and watch the world go buy

Press our noses against the windowpane

Sometimes this city makes me cry

But I guess I can't complain

Guess I can't complain, hey Providence?

When we're finished we can take a walk in the park

Just stroll along and feed the pigeons

It's been so long since we really had a chance to talk

I've got time now if you’re willing

Seems I never know

What's coming around the bend

No I never know

Hey Providence could you fill me in?

Could you fill me in Providence?

Hey thanks for stopping by

I know you've got to go

This one's on me you can get it next time

Let's not let it be so long

Cause you never know

What's coming around the bend

No you never know, you never know where, you never know when

You never know Providence

 

8. I Surrender

 

I wished for you on a dandelion

Scattered my love to the wind

And on every falling star I've ever seen

I've wished for you again

I waited for you beneath the willow tree

Where as a child I used to play

If only I could be as free

If only I could truly say

I surrender, I surrender, I surrender

I used to pick you a fist full of flowers

Wilting in my sweaty palm

I used to sit by the river for hours

Listening to her music and I'd sing along

I surrender, I surrender, I surrender

Take my resistance take what you will

Take my pride I've had my fill

I'm no longer worried what the future might bring

I think I'll just sit here by the river and sing

I surrender, I surrender, I surrender.

 

9. Doubt In My Mind

 

The love that I gave you, you tried to pawn

The man said it wasn't worth a dime

He said it's been broken too many times

By the doubt in my mind

Doubt in my mind, doubt in my mind

Broken by the doubt in my mind

Doubt in my mind, doubt in my mind

Broken by the doubt in my mind

I've drunk the poison of my fear

Felt it taint my love from inside

If time were a river I'd wash myself clean

There’d be no more doubt in my mind

Doubt in my mind, doubt in my mind

There’d be no more doubt in my mind

Doubt in my mind, doubt in my mind

There’d be no more doubt in my mind

If only I could open and let you pour in

Or step out in the bright sunshine

There would soon grow a garden

Where a desert had been

There’d be no more doubt in my mind

Doubt in my mind, doubt in my mind

There’d be no more doubt in my mind

Doubt in my mind, doubt in my mind

There’d be no more doubt in my mind

 

10. Not Afraid

 

I will not be afraid

To let my love blossom

Though at times I may stray

At times I've forgotten

Through the long cold winter days

Love's seed has lain still

The sun's feeble rays

Warm not this chill

I will not be afraid

To let my love bloom

What once kept me safe

Now encloses like a tomb

When the first days of spring

Break the song from my heart

With the birds I will sing

I'm ready to start

I will not be afraid

To let my love blossom

Though my bed be a grave

And I sink to the bottom

Love's roots will find their way

More tenacious then earth or stone

They'll wrap themselves around your heart

Slip like a secret into your bones

Sun, water, air and soil

These things will make me grow

But no matter how I toil

Seems only love can make me whole

Sweet, sweet fragrance of a flower

This too shall fade

But love, love it is the power

So I’ll not be afraid

I'll not be afraid to let my love blossom

I shall not be afraid to let my love bloom

I will not be afraid

I am not afraid

Not afraid

 

11. Bring Me Home

 

Though long the distance

And short the day

I still will travel on

And though my own resistance

Stand in my way

Your love will bring me home

Bring me home, bring me home, your love will bring me home

Though my eyes misguide me

And lead me astray

And my feet should steer me wrong

I know light will find me

And this I pray

Your love will bring me home

Bring me home, bring me home,

Your love will bring me home.

 

Forest Sun (c) 1999