Song For The Innocents (Song)

Next month will mark the thirty seventh anniversary of the Dublin and Monaghan Bombings. Like all moments in history that mark death, whether it be expected or untimely, or as in this case the callous, barbaric murder of thirty three innocent men, women and children (twenty six people in Dublin, seven in Monaghan) May 17, 2011 will not only be a painful reminder for us not directly affected (although my friend was injured and had to have immediate surgery on her hand), but for the people who lost loved ones on that dark day, it will undoubtedly only serve to reopen the wounds that have in most cases never healed.

I was so shocked and distraught following that horror that nine days later on Sunday morning, May 26, I wrote these words in my bedsit in Rathmines which would become my protest song against the use of killing machines of any kind.

Living Will Go On

(i)

They say that life's for living

We must live it every day.

Don't talk of hate for others

Be careful what you say.

For love is all around us

Share it each and everyone

Then when we love together

Living will go on.

(ii)

I met an old man yesterday

We walked beside a stream.

He told me how he longed to smile

How freedom was his dream.

So if we walk beside this man

Well, things they can't go wrong.

We'll all join hands together

And living will go on.

(iii)

Child of war lay down your gun

What right have you to kill?

You can't win what you're fighting for

You know you never will.

So forget about destruction

'Cause wars just can't be won,

Together let's try to find lost peace

Then living will go on.

© Ann Brien 2011


Above image: Me in 1971


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Will She Free Him? (Song)

Will She Free Him?

(i)

He lies alone in his room cold and bare

She left a long time ago

But he doesn't know why she leaves him.

His mind will trace her for millions of miles

Many lovers to come

Will she free him?

(ii)

He'll dine in a cafe and the one he will choose

Won't have a table with wine

But he'll think it's fine

It shall please him.

Through the long lonely night he'll wait in the dark

Alone in his pain

Will she free him?

(iii)

He sits in the station it's raining outside

The wind and the cold never end

Why don't his friends come to see him?

The journey is long not going nowhere

And when he reaches the end

Will she free him?

(Written in my bed-sit in Rathmines, Dublin sometime between 1974 - 1975).


© Ann Brien 2010


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Reasons (Song)

Reasons

(i)

Warm was the sunlight that burned in the skies

Reflecting the loveliness born in your eyes.

O why did you have to go?

Your reasons you never did say.

(ii)

We loved in our forests, we played in the sand

You helped me through bad times

I can't understand

Just why you had to go

Your reasons you never did say.

(iii)

Remember the first time you played me your song

I danced to the music while morning was young

O why did you have to go my love?

Your reasons you never did say

No, your reasons you never did say.

(Written in my bed-sit in Rathmines, Dublin, sometime between 1974 - 1975).


© Ann Brien 2010


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