stay, stay and rest my dear
you’re heavy with the sun
slow down
the horizon melting into one
here, here away and clear
salted waters run
soft, soft
the horizon melting into one
soon, soon you will be the moon
drawing my ocean
blue, blue
the horizon melting into one
you have somewhere, you have somewhere you won’t go
you have somewhere you won’t step beyond
you have somewhere that you’ll know in the bend of your elbow
you won’t step beyond
we take our shape; fluid in a contoured glass
we don’t know who we are without its frame
we’re cool-blooded coils with no temperature of our own
how many shifted selves have we
from blazing sun to slicing cold?
but you have somewhere, you have somewhere you won’t go…
we are all swept up
swept up, kept up, dried up in it
from the blood of uniqueness of intuition
carved out from jagged spoons of peering pressure
a crisis of trajectory, of common consequence
like waiting out alone for tornadoes
but you have somewhere, you have somewhere you won’t go…
who are you? why are you?
how do you know how far you will go?
you have somewhere, you have somewhere you won’t go…
step one, step two, step I think we’re here now
take three, plan for oh just a little more
I’m standing in the middle… of a field of eyes
and all I hear is
crickets
it says open invite, just open in sight, see my outside’s keeping me outside
a room full of souls, but they can’t see mine
they’ve got me wishing love were blind
I’m here hangin’ on the air so it feels like we’re in now
shake hands, make nice, but still I’ve gotta ask twice
I’m standing in the middle of a field of eyes…
candles like fireflies, and a hundred-thousand eyes
and all I hear is
static
I wonder, I wonder how the fire flies
when all I hear is
my heart it beats it
can’t catch my breath
we could move and we could glide
but we will take those clear skies
on the hill or by the shore
we will dare for more
when we walk through the fire we won’t burn
when we pass through the waters we’ll not be overwhelmed
when we open our arms to heal change
we’ll be met by strength
we will follow the path made in the sea
we will find the path made in the mighty waters
there’s a new thing here that we want to see
we will be, we will live set free
haven’t we been told not to fear
even though the way isn’t clear
if we hold our breath waiting here
this joy won’t be any more near
come round our table
we care for, we share for our city sons…
we speak for, entreat for the broken ones
we weep for, we bleed for our mother’s sons
sons and daughters rich and poor
we’ve got to bind together and be more
oh fathers…
come round our city sons
(while living in Baltimore during Freddie Gray riots)
I know you want more from life
and you’re not wrong, but you’re not right
we may be blinded by what seems bright
before realize the gleam of possibility’s not so light
you might never get those wings, but you can still learn to glide
I know you’re tired of fighting upstream, so let’s just let it slide
and meet me downstream…
it’s easier than it seems
I can see how you may feel left penniless with what seems real
but if we pour out the treasure of right now,
the sweetest things we can have, they will never sour
this might not be easy to hear, but the future is never here
and here is where we get to live, this moment has more to give
so won’t you let it live…
just once, just this once
be
you and me and all we see, with nothing in between
what if we let right now be the dream
if we close our eyes we might feel the moment gleam
we’d been there for so many years
how we tried to move past the tears
the skin had sealed, its scars were healed
but bones beneath were still broken
just now we’ve finally stopped choking
and it feels so good
we’ve plunged into a new odyssey
waking up better now than later
stronger than before
joy pours over me as a warm, golden flow
settles in as the edge of springtime
and it feels so good
like the warm sun or the cool rain
the embrace of a love who comes back again
like the sweet first taste of an awaited kiss
it feels so good
we’ve had our spell of surviving well
we’ve had our spell of surviving
now, now it feels…
I have not beheld the good of life in ease
I have not beheld the beauty of living
in ease
I have seen it
in the contrast
with only health, only peace
I’d be numb; blind
instead, they gain meaning
rushing waters of relief
restoration of peace
only after the storm
this place so full of darkness
pushes, forces
light to shine
ever brighter
in that which is brighter
I see the hand
some call God
Applicant
Improvised Music / Jazz – Jazz Voice
Individual Concentration – Jazz Voice
Lyrics
Brighter
So Good
Downstream
City Sons
Clear Skies
Crickets
Elbow
Horizon
My Cherie Amour – Stevie Wonder
Nature Boy – Eden Ahbez
Slip, Slipping – Maya Angelou
Additional Footage
Band – Revelation
Band – Elbow
Soul Choir – Sukuma
Classical Choir – Viva
I have not beheld the good of life in ease
I have not beheld the beauty of living
in ease
I have seen it
in the contrast
with only health, only peace
I’d be numb; blind
instead, they gain meaning
rushing waters of relief
restoration of peace
only after the storm
this place so full of darkness
pushes, forces
light to shine
ever
brighter
in that which is brighter
I see the hand
some call god
Associated Files for Grant Funding Proposal
Associated Performer CV’s Trina Coleman
Singers
Instrumentalists
Oddrun Lilja – Guitar
Xander Crook – Percussion
Andreas Fammé – Bass
Trina Bass Coleman 