HUSH LITTLE BABY (traditional, arr Siersema)

MEMORIAL DAY (MOTHER’S BIRTHDAY) /
WHO NEEDS THIS HEART

Who needs this heart
who will share in the world upon my shoulders
who needs this heart
it’s wild–

Who sees this heart
in the crumple and changing of September
who sees this heart
and smiles–

Who hears this heart
who hears this heart–
in the storm of a house she once mentioned–

Who holds this heart
in the presence of a darkness she must fathom
who holds this heart
who holds this heart
and is afraid–

original version on when I left loss (1999)

EILEEN

She’s not really forward, but her hair’s in a turban on the bus
and she’s gotten so talkative to strangers, it’s unusual–
That’s a cowlick you have she says, as she paints her lips red
beyond the borders of a missing smile–

In the streets of a safe and sunny morning
she sells packages of gauze
and treats the coming storm to company and tea–
nothing’s quite as funny as it used to be
there’s an emptiness she’s found
like she was never home–

She paints treadmills in her garden and she washes out the stones
she’s not certain she’ll get out of here alive, alone–
windows are a portion of what she sees and what she guesses
and out of everything she’s looking for, the sirens and the watches grow–

In the streets of a safe and sunny morning
she sells packages of gauze
and treats the coming storm to company and tea–
nothing’s quite as funny as it used to be
there’s an emptiness she’s found
like she was never home–

When I Left Loss c1999 Laura Siersema

EVERY NIGHT WHEN THE SUN GOES IN (traditional, arr Siersema)

ALONG THE FENWAY

Noisy boys in their uniforms
pushing through the turnstile
down under Comm Avenue
I saw the future in somebody’s hand
they’re gonna steal a wallet–
what does it matter when you’re in-between
the black sheep and the chosen one?
the choirs all sing for you–
along the Fenway–

Beautiful my fellow, tart queen of the back bay
shaved his head looking for what he lost
there goes the preacher thinks Jesus told him
something I don’t know–
listen the voices crying, saying mass
awaiting my conversion
I’ll cross the sound for you–
along the Fenway–

Grabbed his daughter by the wrist and pulled her up the stairs
spit on the platform, kissed her face
who is the father descending as I pray
to look the other way–
all around the furrowed brows
on the outskirts of this famine
seek an answer
gotta tell all the children too–
along the Fenway–

Talon of the Blackwater c 2008 Laura Siersema

WHO WILL PASS THIS ON

You and I are not unscathed
we seek the bones of our own making
whisper in the smell of autumn
who will pass this on–

We are one
from the beginning
deeper than oceans
wider than sky
trembling like the sun–
you gotta get up–

Blazing in their holy places
listen, the voices warning:

You gotta get up
the world’s on fire–
you gotta get up
the world’s on fire–

We are one from the beginning
deeper than oceans
wider than sky–

I had always dreamed–

You and I are not unscathed
we seek the bones of our own making
whisper in the smell of autumn
who will pass this on–

original version Talon of the Blackwater (2009)

LITTLE MOON (AND DREW) / STARS (LITTLE BEAR) (instrumental suite)

c 2009 Laura Siersema

GO CHILDREN SLOW

Go children slow
walk on the water what you become
those suits and guns they bring the massacre
down the tracks you ride
raising your hopes
under the gathering tree
under the gathering tree–

All the wooden horses, all that’s sleeping in the yard
listen, can you hear me?
there’s gonna be a big trial, gonna saw the people up singing,
all your questions
like heads are gonna fall–you’re swimming now
as you lie awake at night
lie awake at night–

Fix upon the bell you took,
instrument you wore–

Go children slow
walk on the water what you become
those suits and guns they bring the massacre
down the tracks you ride
raising your hopes
under the gathering tree
under the gathering tree–

Talon of the Blackwater c 2008 Laura Siersema

O SINNER MAN (traditional, arr Siersema)

PRELUDE (instrumental)

Laura Siersema Trio Live at 1794 Meetinghouse recorded and mixed by Grammy winning engineer Norman Blain. Mastered by Aaryn Blain.  c 2012 Laura Siersema