Lyrics

Long ago or maybe not so long
We sat by the fire with books, knitting and song
A way to commune, express, and belong
In the village, the family, the heart

Time rolled along and new voices were heard
They raved that the songs and the books were disturbed
So they sent them to burn like the witches they purged
In the village, the family, the heart

The same men who burned created the screens
The screens held such stories, you need never dream
Never alone would this happy world seem
In the village, the family, the heart

The seats near the fire and the benches and parks
And the cafés and porches were left vacant and dark
And the singing had stopped. Words made no mark
In the village, the family, the heart

Then history bent, zigzagged, and spun
With little steps to progress to many steps undone
And we’re here once again to see what we’ve become,
This village, this family, this heart

Some books still burn. Some words are erased
Equity, gender, inclusion, and grace
A spiteful Caesar says “saves” yet spits in the face of
This village, this family, this heart

Lies and despair seem to rain every day
And small groups, they gather to fight these dark ways
Protests to calls — make ways to the halls
In this village, this family, this heart

They say fire transforms when we’re pushed to the brink
For it’s time to speak out, it’s worse than we think
What’s left of the world when humanity sinks?
No Village. No family. No heart.