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Song of the Statues

from Song of the Statues by Paul McMahon

/

lyrics

THE SONG OF THE STATUES

THE ROOM I LIVE IN HAS TWO WINDOWS
AND I KEEP PAINTING ON THE WALLS
THE PAINT I USE IS DARK AND STICKY
IT MAKES MY ROOM SEEM SMALL
BY PAINTING LAYER OVER LAYER
THE ONE I'M WITH IS ALWAYS WET
AND IF IT EVER DRIED OR HARDENED
IT WOULD CRACKLE INTO DEATH

THAT;S WHY I HAVE TO KEEP ON PAINTING
THAT'S WHY I'M WORKING LIKE A SLAVE
SOMETIMES I DON'T THINK I CAN MAKE IT
THROUGH ANOTHER DAY
BUT IT IS TIME WHO IS THE MASTER
AND TIME IS COUNTING OUT THE SCORE
AND I'LL KEEP PAINTING TIL HE TELLS ME
I DON'T HAVE TO ANYMORE

AH LIFE DESPERATE LIFE
MUST KEEP PACE WITH A DRUM
MY HEART BEAUTIFUL HEART
AND BLOOD THAT'S PUMPING FROM

RHYTHM THAT SURGES FROM THE CENTER
OUT TO THE BLINDNESS AT THE EDGE
OUT TO THE DARKNESS WHERE THE MOON AND STARS
DANCE UPON THE HEDGE
THAT'S WHEN THE WINDOWS CLOSE THEIR SHUTTERS
THAT'S WHEN THE ETHER FILLS THE AIR
THAT'S WHEN MY BODY DOESN'T MATTER
AND THE POUNDING ISN'T THERE

THEN DREAMS BEAUTIFUL DREAMS
WITH THEIR EYES FULL OF LOVE
SURROUND AND EMBRACE
MY SPIRIT LIKE A GLOVE

THAT'S WHEN I WALK INTO MY GARDEN
THAT'S WHEN I DRINK THE MOONLIGHT TOO
THAT'S WHEN I'M TALKING TO MY STATUES
THEY'RE SUCH A LOVELY BLUE
AND IF THEIR POLYCHROME IS CHIPPING
THEN IN THIS LIGHT IT DOESN'T SHOW
THEY SEEM POSSESSED OF PERFECT WISDOM
AND TO CONTAIN AN INNER GLOW

THAT'S WHEN I HEAR THE STRANGEST MUSIC
IT'S LATE AT NIGHT WHEN IT BEGINS
IS IT THE SOUND OF DISTANT SINGING
OR IS IT JUST THE WIND?
IT SCARES A NIGHTBIRD LIGHTLY SLEEPING
STILL I'M NOT SURE OF WHAT I HEARD
IT'S MY STATUES THAT ARE SINGING
BUT I CAN'T MAKE OUT THE WORDS
THE SONG OF THE STATUES
THAT THEY WHISPER AT NIGHT
WHAT WISDON WHAT SECRETS
IN THEM ARE CONCEALED

I SEE THE FREEDOM OF THEIR MOVEMENTS
I SEE THEIR CALM AND STEADY GAZE
I HEAR THE MUSIC OF ETERNITY
WITH A HUMAN FACE
AND IT IS TELLING ME A STORY
THAT SEEMS SO SIMPLE AND SO TRUE
AND NOW I UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY
AND IT'S THE WAY I ALWAYS KNEW

THE SONG OF THE STATUES
IT'S SO PERFECT AND SO CLEAR
I CAN'T UNDERSTAND
HOW I COULD EVER DOUBT OR FEAR

BUT NOW THE SONG IS GROWING SOFTER
AND THE NIGHT IS GOING TO END
AND THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE FIERY DAY
WILL OBSCURE MY FRIENDS
AND THEIR ADVICE WILL BE FORGOTTEN
WITH THE RISING OF THE SUN
THAT FREEZES FRIEZES BACK TO RUBBLE
AND FORCES SCRUTINY UPON

THE SONG OF THE STATUES
WAS IT ONLY A DREAM
I CAN'T QUITE RECALL
EXACTLY HOW IT SEEMED

THE ROOM I LIVE IN HAS TWO WINDOWS
AND I KEEP PAINTING ON THE WALLS
THE PAINT I USE IS DARK AND STICKY
IT MAKES MY ROOM SEEM SMALL
I'M PAINTING LAYER OVER LAYER
I HAVE TO DO IT ALL JUST RIGHT
I DON'T HAVE TIME TO SIT AND WONDER
WHAT I DREAMT ABOUT LAST NIGHT

THE SONG OF THE STATUES
NOW SEEMS DISTANT AND SMALL
I'M HERE IN MY ROOM
I'M PAINTING ON MY WALL
I'M PAINTING ON MY WALL
I'M PAINTING ON MY WALL
I'M PAINTING ON MY WALL

credits

from Song of the Statues, released January 1, 1988

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all rights reserved

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Paul McMahon Woodstock, New York

From a musical family he explored folk, jug, blues and rock quitting music at 20 for art, returning as a punk rocker at 27. Then a long oddysey, solo and band in search of the real real deal; the songs becoming a diary of psychological and spiritual experience; shamanism and ordination as an Interfaith minister.
January 2020 tour of DC Ba Ph & Bk was his first at 69 organized by Goodflavor45 ... more

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