Lyrics: Phoenix of the Plains by Geoffrey
Wilcken
Phoenix of the Plains
Built by the mixture of idealists and entrepreneurs
Which is America.
Built by architects of freedom,
By those who rejected the lash and the chain,
Here is Lawrence, an infant astride a river,
a dream of righteousness.
Burned in spite by a sheriff of fraud,
Struck and beaten by pretenders to legislature,
The dream of light struggles but endures;
Her banner is raised again.
Burned again amid the greater war
By criminals, poisonous with revenge,
She rebounds from deeper injury with deeper strength.
Defiant, proud, convicted of the right.
Here is Lawrence, a child astride a river,
The phoenix of the plains.
Through years she bears the conflict yet endures.
Though her first champions struggle with each other,
Though gold and silver battle for her love,
She strides, armed by the memory of her past
And crowned with the blazing lamp of study--
Like steel tried and cured in fire.
She burns again in anguish with the nation’s wars.
Unfinished work against slavery torments her again.
And yet the warrior astride a river
burns and is born again. Lighting the plains,
For she is strongest when ablaze.
--Geoff Wilcken, 20.07.2003
Remember Those
REMEMBER THOSE WHO BEAR THE COST OF FREEDOM: THOSE WHO FALL AS OTHERS
RISE. REMEMBER THAT EACH OBJECT WE RELY ON WAS MADE BY SOME PERSON WHO
RELIES ON US.
REMEMBER THAT EACH PERSON HAS A FOOTPRINT, EACH LIFE AFFECTS EACH LIFE
IN ITS WAY. WHAT MESSAGE WILL BE READ IN OUR LIFE? WHAT KIND OF FOOTPRINT
ARE WE LEAVING? DO WE PLANT OR DO WE TRAMPLE?
YOU CANNOT BE GRATEFUL FOR THE THINGS YOU DO NOT NOTICE.
YOU CANNOT HONOR THOSE OF WHOM YOU ARE NOT AWARE. YOU CANNOT LOVE ANOTHER
WHEN YOUR GAZE IS ON YOURSELF.
REMEMBER THOSE WHO BEAR THE COST OF FREEDOM: THOSE WHOM OUR JUSTICE
SADLY FAILS TO SEE. REMEMBER THAT EACH PERSON IS A PERSON— WITH
A VOICE, A LIGHT, A BURDEN, AND A SONG. REMEMBER THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN
FOR US, AND THOSE WE HAVE PRESSED DOWN. REMEMBER THOSE WHO BEAR THE
COST OF FREEDOM.
-GAW 21.08.03
Making a City
We all choose the stage we act on—
It is built by what we do.
If we seek conflict, it will find us;
If we look for peace and mercy
They will grow inside us too.
Though the triumph of a hero
Leaves a brilliant light to see,
Daily actions of many people
Weave the fabric of a village
And create community.
Make our town a place of kindness
Make our town a place of peace
Shape our town by the life you live here
Do the good that could be done here
Show the face you wish to see.
History tells of kings and princes,
Of the valiant and the strong
But the great and humble courage
of the people of each village
Is the shaper of the song.
And the heart of every city
Is the heart of everyone.
Do we search for joy or sorrow?
Do we value things, or people?
That’s what lives are built upon.
Make our town a place of kindness
Make our town a place of peace
Shape our town by the life you live here
Do the good that could be done here
Show the face you wish to see.
GAW 21.08.03
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