Brighter Days: Summer’s end

Long live the light.  Reflections and considerations on the longest days and warmest nights. Art by Ella Trujillo.

Wade in the water I’m coming down
Leave on the bank the fears that fill my pockets; stones to drag me down.
I need to believe the light in me.

All of these jesters wearing crowns,
Easy to see the ones who’d have you bear their burdens, drag you down-
I need to believe the light I see.
For all of the hollow hearted words that darken days,
I need to believe we’re learning to see the light

Why do we follow them down?

Songs of our mothers, songs for you
Songs for our children, songs or the present
Songs to share our hearts through - we sing to believe the light
A word to the jesters wearing crowns:

We will not abide your trying to tear us down; We rise to see the light.

For all of their hollow hearted-words that darken days- I need to believe we’re learning to see the light.

If there's a reason, if ever there was time, to wade into the water to let go & leave behind the weight. Because I've fallen, awake that now I'm free. We remember, remember this precious life to be.

Why do we follow them down?

There's a spider in the saint

and her web is a whisper, 

and you'll only hear her in a certain light.

There's your shadow in the paint, babe

and it's year since I've seen you today

and I mean to, but it's alright.

Am I alone in what i want and wish? 

Running out of boys to kiss and trees to climb?

Running out of things to hide behind?

Am I afraid, or is it laziness?

Running out things to blame and doodle on?

Running out of going, gone?

There's my daughter in your name, and I know that the day she's born,

she'll draw from your fingertips her frame & form. 

So I'll let that spider be - in the hopes that she'll see her, too,

and tell me so, that I remember you.

If you’re standing, or you’re frowning
Hand up, or hands downing
If you’re playing in a parking lot
If you’re honest at a traffic stop
If you’re angry cause you know your rights
If you’re twice as good to protect you life
If you’re hustling just to get by
If you’re daughter ought not watch you die
you’re still headed for the pipeline
Or the mugshot blast on dateline
If you’re a black life or brown life, let the punishment fit the crime.

Lady Good Hair.

Lady good hair, gimme a bright blue sky and air to breathe
Lady good hair, all I want is a nation where I’m free to be
There’s a war gone, and a movement growing- and I know you all blame me
Lady Good Hair- I’m just trying to make you see
That I’ve been tired- tired of all your people getting loud
Tired of them trying to bring me down
We’ll all trying to make it through, and I’ve felt loss, and hatred too.
Ain’t nothing wrong with the way it’s designed
If you’re breathing while brown, let the punishment fit the crime

Lady Good Hair – you’re the kind that’s easy on the eyes;
Lady Good Hair- I don’t see you as, well, what you’re tone implies
And they way you speak, so articulate, not like those angry girls who feed the hate
Don’t they know they're outta line thinking their lives are more important than mine
Lady Good Hair- I know you understand me

and I’m so tired- Tired of all your people making scenes
Acting like the world treat them differently, forcing me to be P.C.
Don’t they know not to laugh so loud- or raise their voices in a nervous crowd?
Protest has it’s time and place, but now they’re taking up to much space
If you don’t want trouble don’t make none, don’t tell me I'm deaf, blind and dumb

Ain’t nothing wrong with the way it’s designed- If you’re breathing while brown, let the punishment fit the crime.

Lady good hair. Twice as good hair. "Always do what you should" hair.

She- she knew the road

Took his hand, took his heart and then she let go.

We- we knew the signs,

took a breath, took a step in this life

Can’t afford this space between the two And I do, need you

It’s more than I can take, to turn to

Let the great world spin I’m still in love with you

Let the great world spin I’m still in love with you, with you

I knew the way

Knew your smile, knew the words you might say

You- you knew my mind

Knew the fears, knew to stay my running mind

Can’t afford this space between the two And I do, need you

It’s more than I can take, to turn to

Let the great world spin I’m still in love with you

Let the great world spin I’m still in love with you with you

Let the Great World Spin