If I Die Today

[witty_owl]

Belfast to Boston

There are rifles buried in the countryside
By the rising of the moon
May they lie there long forgotten
Till they rust away into the ground.

Who will end this ancient hatred?
Will the killing to an end
Who will swallow long injustice?
Take the devil for a countryman.

Who will say "This far no further, O' Lord If I die today"?

Send no weapons, no more money
Send no vengeance across these seas
Just the blessing of forgiveness
For my new countryman and me.

Missing brothers, martyred fellows
Silent children in the ground
Could we but hear them would they not tell us
"Time to lay God's rifle down"

Who will say "This far no further, O' Lord If I die today"?

(c) 2002 J.T.

Regards Witty Owl.[/b]

[LaurieAK]

WO~ Very Nice! Like a gospel song! Thanks for sharing, Laurie

[George.Wright]

Witt, the antithesis of the american ideology, LAY your arms DOWN. Nice sentiments and if the world would listen, would make this a much better place. The silent voices of the dead would echo your poem.
Keep Writing.......Georges

[linmag]

I liked "God's rifle", Witty. So much killing is done in the name of the deity, whoever/whatever the killer perceives that to be. It's the ones that claim to be doing it in the name of a god of love that puzzle me.

[tom.d.stiller]

I like your technique, Witty, of alluding to old songs, turning them upside down (or downside up...), overturning them...

For example:

By the Rising of the Moon,
By the Rising of the Moon,
With your pike upon your shoulder
By the Rising of the Moon.

There beside the singing river
That dark mass of men were seen,
Far above their shining weapons hung
Their own beloved green.
Death to every foe and traitor,
Forward strike the marching tune,
And hurrah me boys for freedom,
Tis the Rising of the Moon.

Chorus:
Tis the Rising of the Moon,
Tis the Rising of the Moon,
And hurrah me boys for freedom,
Tis the Rising of the Moon.

Or:

Send no weapons, no more money

reminds me of

Send lawyers, guns and money...(Jackson Browne)

And the "rifles buried in the countryside"...

Mama, put my guns in the ground
I can't shoot them anymore.
That long black cloud is comin' down
I feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door.
(Bob Dylan)

These are but footnotes to a good poem that really stands on its own feet... shades of meaning uncovered...

Keep on. Give us more.

Tom

---------------------
"They who have no arms have cleanest hands." (Dylan Thomas)

[witty_owl]

To have written this song lyric!-- I wish. Sorry guys, if you had scrutinised the (C) you would see that this J.T. lyric was written by James Taylor. I wanted to present this anonymously; to see the response if the well known writer's name was not obvious. This song titled "Belfast to Boston" comes from his latest CD "October Road". I also wanted to see if anyone could recognise the source and reveal it.

You have all made interesting comments thus far and Tom you have given me an unexpected and new way of viewing the lyrics.

I really like the way James expressed his thoughts with this song in a sensitive and compassionate way but without pulling any punches.

George said "the antithesis of american ideology". Interesting from such a distictive american songwriter- these lyrics.

Regards, Witty Owl

[tom.d.stiller]

okay, then:
"I like your technique, James, of alluding..."

But really: I should've recognized that one!

[witty_owl]

So Tom, you are familiar with the October Road CD or the Beacon Theatre DVD concert?

Cheers, Witty Owl.