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In the Name of Love
We are soldiers in an army
of the ones who fight to
keep the hope alive
despite the writing on the wall
We’re declaring war on hate
we have come to infiltrate
the hearts and minds
of those who cannot hear the call
The weapon of our choice is the raising of our voices.
finely tuned to combat vitriol
Our strength will not diminish
we’ll fight until the finish
until we take a stand once and for all
In the name of love
In the name of love
In the name of love
We are poets for the ages
we have filled a million pages
with words that lead the weary
toward the light
They appear to us in visions
we write them with precision
like a map to guide the wayward through the night
In the name of love
In the name of love
In the name of love
In the name of love. We are here In the name of love
In the name of love
We are angels in disguise
descended from the skies
to remind you of the reason
you are here.
Our message is of hope
Keep your hearts wide open
for there is where
the glimmer will appear
In the name of love
In the name of love
In the name of love
​
In the name of love
In the name of love
In the name of love
In the name of love
Heavenly Rain
I step out under the tumblin’ clouds
Covering the sky like a holy shroud
Thunder’s rumblin’
getting kinda loud
Proud to be announcing the rain
A single drop splashes on my brow
it tickles as it trickles all the way down
til it hits my lips delivering a kiss
from a hundred million miles above
Heavenly Rain pouring from on high
wash away my pain purify
Ah,lightning cracks the surface
of the air
I’m thunderstruck and cautiously aware
the skies alive it’s ripping on a tear
floodgates are opening wide
tears of angels streaming down
it’s likely both saint and sinner
will drown
my soul is drenched
my thirst is quenched
drinking holy water from on high
Heavenly Rain pouring from on high
wash away my pain purify
Days Long Gone
I was sitting at a red light
waiting for permission to go Sunlight on the windshield
cut a razor line glow
it caught my eye, held my gaze
my mind flashed back
to childhood days
Away on vacation in our ’68 Ford
Pocono Mountain Road
Daddy tapped rhythms
up & down the dashboard
Mama close beside him wearing a beautiful smile
Me and my sisters in the backseat
singing to the radio
louder by the mile
We knew all the words
to all the songs
We sang our hearts out
all day long
We were so happy
life was so simple then.
I had my Beatle Bailey comic book
my Fighting’ Phillies T-shirt
grass stains on my sneakers
and a little bit of knee dirt
Had a delicious stick of licorice
I was about to tease my sister
Mama gave a look like
“Don’t even think about it, mister”
So I fiddled with the window crank
and drank in the scenery
Coolest dad in the world taking us to an ice creamery
In the rearview mirror, I could see the Love in their eyes
I was sitting at a red light
but I wasn’t really there
I was fifty years away
in a windshield glare
the light turned green
My life went on
So grateful for those days long gone
And amazed by the way
Love lives on
Days long gone Love lives on
Days long gone Love lives on
White Owl
In a forest deep
upon the tallest tree
a white owl waits for night
to set her free
twilight teases
before bowing out of sight
a silver moon
then beckons her to flight
Hear the White Owl call.
Hear the White Owl call.
Hear the White Owl call
Cutting through the darkness
with her wings
Piercing the silence
as she sings
a song of longing
ripples through the deep blue sky
a lonesome tone a mystifying cry
Hear the White Owl call.
Hear the White Owl call.
Hear the White Owl call
Syncopating Mother Nature’s beat
I feel the earth beneath my naked feet
Gazing skyward
through forever grateful tears
Wisdom never falls upon deaf ears
Hear the White Owl call.
Hear the White Owl call
Hear the White Owl call
The Hourglass
Grain by grain sand drops down
in the hourglass without a sound
it tells me time is slipping by
before my eyes
as I turn my gaze to you
I'm captivated by the view
a rush of love so pure and true
is pouring through
standing here before you
God how I adore you
you are an angel sent
to me from above.
I'm so glad you found me.
you constantly astound me
the way you give and give
and live your life to love
Scattered stars begin to fade
sun seeps in the window shade
and shines upon you
peacefully dreaming.
waking, I behold the sight
I thank God with all my might
to be with you is a dream come true each morning.
every moment of you
deepens how I love you
you are an angel sent
to me from above
I'm so glad you found me
you constantly astound me
the way you give and give
and live your life to love
As each day runs out of time
I search the sky for starlit rhyme
to find another verse of our love story
as you turn and look at me.
I clearly see eternity
the light within your eyes
goes on forever
The Request
I was up on stage the other night.
It was a solo gig it was going alright
I was in between songs tuning my guitar.
I peered up at the warm spotlight.
I heard a tone so clear and bright
I sensed that it was coming from afar
The tone became a voice
that spoke my name
in the center of my mind,a flickering flame
“Is this God? “ I asked silently.
YES CHIP, IT’S ME.
I AM SO SORRY TO INTERRUPT
BUT I NEED YOUR HELP
You need my help?
It’s usually the other way around….
OH, I KNOW…. I KNOW
BUT, DESPERATE TIMES
CALL FOR DESPERATE MEASURES
AND THESE ARE DEFINITELY DESPERATE TIMES
Nervously I looked at the audience…
It was a nice crowd, only about half of them were looking at their phones, the other half was patiently waiting for me
DON’T WORRY ABOUT THEM God said
I’VE ALTERED THEIR
TIME-SPACE CONTINUUM
“Wait. You did what now?”
THEY’RE IN SUSPENDED ANIMATION
WHILE WE HAVE A CONVERSATION.
I took a deep breath.
“Ok, God How can I help you?”
SINCE THE DAWN OF HUMANITY.
I HAVE CALLED UPON ARTISTS, MUSICIANS, POETS AND DANCERS
TO UNITE MY PEOPLE.
NOW MORE THAN EVER
PEOPLE NEED TO UNITE….
MORE THAN THAT THEY NEED
TO FEEL CONNECTED.
I SEE A FRAGMENTED SOCIETY
WITH ULTRA-HIGH ANXIETY
TRUTH BE TOLD THOSE SO-CALLED SMARTPHONES ARE
DUMBING YOU DOWN
NOBODY EVER LOOKS AROUND
AT ANYTHING OR ANYONE
YOU TURN YOUR FACES
FROM THE GLORIOUS SUN
I DON’T THINK YOU’RE THINKING
OF THE DAMAGE BEING DONE
I DON’T WANT TO BE THAT GOD BUT
YOU’D RATHER HOLD DEVICES
THAN HOLD HANDS
YOU’D RATHER LOOK AT PIXELS
THAN EACH OTHER
REMEMBER EYE CONTACT?
IS THERE AN APP FOR THAT?
I’M NOT AS ANGRY AS I AM SAD
I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING I HAD
I WAS REALLY HOPING FOR A BETTER OUTCOME.
JUST WHAT DO YOU SCROLL ALL DAY ANYWAY? I’M NOT IN THERE
IN FACT. I’M EVERYWHERE
BUT IN THERE.
LOOK UP! FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE. LOOK UP!
SOCIAL MEDIA IS SO CORROSIVE
DISINFORMATION IS SO EXPLOSIVE.
ALL THE VITRIOL ALL OVER TWITTER
WHY ARE SO MANY SO MEAN
AND BITTER?
I AM WEARY OF THE HATE
MY HEART IS BREAKING
AS I CONTEMPLATE
WHY SO MANY HAVE TURNED AWAY FROM LOVE
God paused.
I wasn’t sure where we were
going with this.
“Do you want me to write another song
discouraging people from
getting addicted to their phones?
OH NO, NO, NO
WE ARE WAY BEYOND THAT.
I NEED A CALL TO ARMS
A REBEL YELL A WARNING SHOT TO BREAK THE SPELL
YOUR DESTINY WILL BE
BEYOND MY CONTROL
WHEN THE WHOLE HUMAN RACE
HAS A MECHANIZED SOUL
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?
IF YOU’RE ALL HELL-BENT ON MERGING WITH MACHINES PLEASE REMEMBER
WHAT BEING HUMAN MEANS
WHEN IT COMES TO CARING
AND CONSIDERATION
FACE TO FACE HEART TO HEART COMMUNICATION
REMIND EVERYONE OF THE SIMPLE
ENDLESS BEAUTY OF LIFE UNFOLDING
RIGHT BEFORE THEIR HYPNOTIZED EYES.
God sighed. I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH
I’M AFRAID WE’RE ALMOST
OUT OF TOUCH
I bowed my head, humbled
then I raised it up and said:
“I will do my best to honor your request”
THANK YOU CHIP
I HAVE FAITH IN YOU
LORD KNOWS YOUR AIM IS TRUE….
UH OH I HAVE TO GO
ENJOY THE REST OF YOUR SHOW MAESTRO
SEE IF YOU CAN GET THEM TO
LOOK UP FROM THEIR PHONES
SEE IF YOU CAN GET THEM TO FEEL LESS ALONE
SEE IF YOU CAN BRING THEM TO THE HERE &NOW
SEE IF YOU CAN GET THEM TO STAY SOMEHOW
SING TO THEM WITH LOVE
TAKE THEM HIGHER
DO ALL THAT’S IN YOUR POWER TO INSPIRE.
TAKE CARE MY FRIEND
PEACE BE WITH YOU.
“Thanks God Peace be with you, too”
As the voice became a heavenly tone
I stepped up to the microphone.
Couldn’t Do What Daddy Done (Chuck Brodsky)
Me and my supremacist friends
We’re only doing what God intends
Burning crosses Burning mosques
vandalizing synagogues.
We’re the patriotic sons
with semi-automatic guns.
Prepping for a civil war
to make things like they was before
Me and my supremacist clan
this is how we take our stand.
Underneath a Nazi flag.
Marching right up the main drag.
Past the church. And past the school.
Where they teach the golden rule.
Where the children play outside
when we go by they run and hide.
The secret handshake makes you kin.
At the door it gets you in.
It’s how we tell a friend from foe.
It’s something only we would know
Me and my supremacist bud
stir each other’s taste for blood
getting drunker by the hour
Mixing things that all taste sour
Until we can’t control our rage
any excuse to open the cage
it can not stay inside the house
the beast is foaming at the mouth
Me and my supremacist dad
one time beat a foreigner bad
he was somewhere he shouldn’t have been.
He shouldn’t have been with his color skin
and after Daddy kicked his ass
we left him lying in the grass
I got some of my own licks in
he was somewhere he shouldn’t have been
The secret handshake makes you kin.
At the door it gets you in.
It’s how we tell a friend from foe.
It’s something only we would know
Me and my twelve-year-old son
one time made a foreigner run
chased him down a dead-end street
until the circle was complete.
There was nowhere he could run.
But I couldn’t do what my daddy done.
Not in front of my own son.
I couldn’t do what daddy done….
A Day at the Office
When I came to work today
I never thought that I might die
Now it clearly appears that way
shots fired I am terrified
When he first burst
through the door
I heard screaming
and shattering glass
He is brandishing
a weapon of war
My heart started
beating so fast….
I don’t want to die at the hands of an unhinged man
I don’t want to die at all
Why does he have the capability
of such a high-intensity assault?
I am trembling beneath my desk
Trying to remember
that “active shooter drill“
Wondering how I’ll word my final text
No time to waste no time to kill
Should I hide? Should I run?
Should I look to see if
something can be done?
​
Oh,the power, the horror
of that gun
We’ve been invaded by
an army of one
I have never been more afraid
I’m trying desperately
not to make a sound
My co-workers made a barricade
Infra-red laser beam flashing all around
How can this happen?
How can this be?
Anyone at all
can have heavy artillery
I am a person I have a wife
Don’t let this be the end of my life
When I came to work today
I never thought that I might die
Blessed was the Day
Blessed was the day, my love
Blessed was the day
Our hearts were touched by Light
It shined down from above, my love
Heaven above it drew us to unite
We two are one together forever We are one.
Blessed was the night, my love
Blessed was the night
We flickered as twin flames
We surged and burned so bright
my love
Surged and burned so bright
We became the same
We two are one together forever We are one
America?
Where have you gone America?
I can’t find you anywhere
What’s gone wrong America?
From sea to shining sea
you’re not there
I was born in Philadelphia
City of Brotherly Love
I’ve often stood where
our forefathers stood
And wondered what they were dreaming of
I come from where
independence was declared
I took my freedom and
I roamed your shores
I know your backstreets
your mountains high
I felt your heartbeat as I explored
My father always flew
the red, white and blew
taught me to honor
the stripes and the stars
I pledged allegiance to America
Now I don’t know where you are
I miss you America
Somehow,somewhere
you lost your way.
Land that I love, America
Come home to me
Come home to stay
Our Only Hope
I saw you see the headlines
tears appeared in your eyes
each day we face the way
the world unwinds
sad news breaking and breaking
is it real? is it faking?
the mistakes we are making
the risks we are taking
the fists we are shaking
the hearts that are aching
There’s only one way
we’re going to rise above
LOVE Love’s our only hope
LOVE Love's our only hope
it’s tough to keep going
with the burden of knowing
storm winds are blowing
no signs of slowing down
political blunders dragging us under
perpetuate thunder of endless war
hatred and fear are the enemies here
There’s only one way
we’re going to rise above
LOVE Love’s our only hope
LOVE Love'd our only hope
​
I saw you see the headlines
tears appeared in your eyes
each day we pray
that we may see the Light