Leigh Herrick

Lyrics

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO YOU

Every bird will look the same but you
will view birds differently the sky will still
look blue on blue days gray on gray and sunk
within the fires of setting suns that you
in another time saw as simply truth
truth itself will have suddenly changed
Bird is a bird here only as long as
bird is a bird there
Arguments will fly from the feeder feathers
settle in another country: The Middle East or
South America Feed itself will become
all manner of human integrity each 5 # bag
bought in concern for trade and fairness
each green urge sprung from all of earth now
in question a matter of life and death induced
in the labs of laboring scientists all
attention bought and sold like last week’s
Valentine roses preserved by Equadoran hands
American Kum ba yah in Cayambe Valley
America Kum ba yah in American boats Kum ba yah
America landing Americamerica everywhere America
Birds of the world fly up
Roots of yin know yang
Middle mind sees feathers all around
No one said this would be easy
No one made such promises
And now you understand
Sun is sun
Bird is bird
You are lit
Heaven is your mouth
your hand

2/25/2003