August 20 is my sister Jan's birthday. When we were young we shared a bedroom -- bunk beds actually with me on the bottom and her on the top -- and she would request that I sing her to sleep each night so I build up quite a repertoire of songs. One of her favorites -- and mine -- was Phil Ochs. I am posting this song in her memory because it was one of Ochs' most poetic.
Jackie Captain passed away this Summer, and loved life, Phil Ochs, and worked for peace.
Jackie died, saddened by Genocide, knowing at home she was secure in love.
Sit by my side, come as close as the air,
Share in a memory of gray;
Wander in my words, dream about the pictures
That I play of changes.
Green leaves of summer turn red in the fall
To brown and to yellow they fade.
And then they have to die, trapped within
the circle time parade of changes.
Scenes of my young years were warm in my mind,
Visions of shadows that shine.
Til one day I returned and found they were the
Victims of the vines of changes.
The world's spinning madly, it drifts in the dark
Swings through a hollow of haze,
A race around the stars, a journey through
The universe ablaze with changes.
Moments of magic will glow in the night
All fears of the forest are gone
But when the morning breaks they're swept away by
golden drops of dawn, of changes.
Passions will part to a strange melody.
As fires will sometimes burn cold.
Like petals in the wind, we're puppets to the silver
strings of souls, of changes.
Your tears will be trembling, now we're somewhere else,
One last cup of wine we will pour
And I'll kiss you one more time, and leave you on
the rolling river shores of changes.
So, sit by my side, come as close as the air,
Share in a memory of gray;
Wander in my words, dream about the pictures
That I play of changes.
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