Songs don’t promote activity by their content. Violence in Music doesn’t necessarily increase violence in society. In the history of the world, there have been more love songs written than any other kind combined. If songs could have changed the world, everyone would love each other at this point. — Frank Zappa, testifying before Congress
So I can put a pen to paper
Talk about the times
Still, it’s just a scrap of scribbles
Isn’t worth a dime
It may change my own perspective
And touch one or two
But it doesn’t have much power
Beyond me and you
Outside those who listen
Does a song mean anything?
Is a poem all that useful
Outside bardic rings?
It may help to heal a soul
So it can prep for war
But it is just a weak illusion
Really, nothing more..
Why then do the poets write,
why do the songsmiths craft?
Do they speak of peace and love,
while the war-mongers laugh?
Or do they, in their subtle way
reach deep into the soul
and without guns or bombs or knives
exert some small control?
It may be a scrap of paper
floating in the air
But it carries energy
that bridges here to there
If we can imagine it,
the world can be reformed
and the song of hope we sing
will weather any storm.
15 FEB 2003
