LET US RISE IN LOVE

WORDS AND MUSIC BY YSAYE M. BARNWELL ©) 2001

Commissioned by The Mystic Chorale

Dedicated to Cesare Giovanni Mathis Melussi born 2 weeks after 9/11/01

LET US, LET US RISE IN LOVE

LET US, LET US RISE IN LOVE.

DEAR ONE,

I NEVER THOUGHT THAT YOU WOULD WITNESS SUCH A TIME

I HEAR YOU CRY.

DEAR ONE,

THERE IS A REASON FOR THESE THINGS, BUT THERE’S NO RHYME.

I HEAR YOUR WHYS.

I DON’T HAVE THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTIONS

I DON’T HAVE THE ANSWER TO YOUR PRAYERS

BUT I KNOW THIS IS A MOMENT OF TRANSCENDENCE

IF ONLY WE WILL TAKE THE TIME TO CARE.

LET US, LET US RISE IN LOVE

WHEN THE UNIVERSE IS POLARIZED BY HATRED

WHEN WE OURSELVES HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED IN FEAR

WHEN SOME OF US ARE PARALYZED IN PRINCIPLE

WHEN THERE’S ANGER IN THE FALLING OF EACH TEAR

LET US, LET US RISE IN LOVE

DEAR ONE,

OUR WORLD HAS CHANGED IN JUST THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE

I HEAR YOUR CRY.

DEAR ONE,

A PART OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US HAS DIED.

I HEAR YOUR WHYS.

I DON’T HAVE THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTIONS

I DON’T HAVE THE ANSWER TO YOUR PRAYERS

I KNOW THIS IS A MOMENT OF TRANSCENDENCE

WE HAVE LESS TO LEARN FROM JOY THAN FROM OUR PAIN.

LET US, LET US RISE IN LOVE

FOR SO LONG WE’VE BEEN VOYEURS OF FOREIGN PATHOS

THE TIDE HAS CHANGED, AND NOW WE GRIEVE AT HOME

THOUGH WE’RE VICTIMIZED BY TERROR, WE’RE NOT INNOCENT

HAVE WE COURAGE NOW TO CHANGE WHAT WE’VE CONDONED?

LET US, LET US RISE IN LOVE

AS THE SUN SETS

WE CAN SET OUR HEARTS TO LISTEN

AS THE MOON SETS

WE CAN SET OUR MINDS TO CHANGE

AS THE SUN AND THE MOON RISE,

WE CAN RISE HIGHER THAN HIGH

WE CAN RISE, IN LOVE

LET US, LET US RISE IN LOVE

Barnwell’s Notes Publishing (BMI/Harry Fox Agency)