Anthem

from The Knowledge of Good and Evil by Earnest Matthew

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lyrics

brother, i’m reluctant now to bleed these songs
sister, i’ve been careless with my pen
lover, i’ve been wrong to let you lie alone and burn so long
and it appears that mere sincerity is anemic in the end

so here i am as empty
as i love to be again
with nothing to distract me
from the wages of my sin
but at the window pane’s a raging flame
a clear and coursing wind
a solid sort of prajna
the kind that one can live within

so sing with me
a simple song of peace
written an eternity ago
and let your worries be
we shall be released
by losing to the love
that will not let us go

speak to me of others who have sought the light
only to find their eyes behind their hands
then elucidate to me the grace that burns the shutter from the face
leaving piles of ashes in the place of best laid plans

now the conqueror would kill the truth
he claims to seek with glee
while the diplomat may try to hide
the burning light from me
and the politician will fill our hands
and swear to god we’re free
as neither the orphan, nor the wealthy man
find a god in which they can believe

so sing with me
a simple song of peace
written an eternity ago
and let your worries be
we shall be released
by losing to the love
that will not let us go

so god grant us the grace to give without reclaiming
to love without withholding anything
and may our lifetimes prove to be mere canvas for the painting
bearing nothing more than the brushstrokes we’re carrying

so sing with me
a simple song of peace
written an eternity ago
and let your worries be
we shall be released
by losing to the love
that will not let us go

credits

from The Knowledge of Good and Evil, released October 31, 2013

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Earnest Matthew Dallas, Texas

earnestmatthew.com

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