Sunday, March 3, 2013

Once Upon a Time in America



It was the west of times and was the east the times
It was love from the Beatles and rage from the Stones
It was the time of hope and love and brotherhood
We lived close to the earth and flew high in the sky

Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie and Joan Baez
Were our voices which were raised against inequality
Where have all the heroes gone, long time passing
The hope has died, the light is gone, and the moneymen still rule

Rhythm was our hearts and music was our soul
And we marched to the beat of our own drummers
Hate was the law of the land in those halcyon days
And we dreamed that we could convert it into Camelot

It was the war of the young at home trying to end the war of the old far away
We dreamed of making a difference and changing the world
But the men of money held the country in their hands
And the land of hope and glory was stolen and sold

We were blinded by gold and baubles and beads
And our souls were bartered away
We got i-pads and cell phones and SUVs
In trade for honor, justice and compassion

We sang and marched and pleaded and prayed
But many sank or were killed with no peace in sight
We wanted strength and love for all the people
But our government said that the dollar was god

We had a vision of equality over the horizon
Which we were never allowed to see
We got over that war through the blood and the tears
Of our youth both here and across the sea

And so here we are over fifty years down the road
Still killing the innocent in another foreign land
The money men are still in control of our young
Our beautiful message was completely ignored


John C. Dodds Jr.  2/27/13