I don't listen to much music nowadays .... still enjoy playing

“When the last tree has been cut down, the last fish caught, the last river poisoned, only then will we realize that one cannot eat money.”

It doesn’t much matter where that quote originates, the substance of it is mirrored by any tribal elder with a voice.

It was one of those misty days here in the Blue Mountains when time itself wavers and I feel a sense of continuity, of generation upon generation standing in line over aeons of time, looking in, looking out and observing the behaviour of whatever empire holds and abuses power which became the seed, the genesis of the following song.

That sense of being on the fringes of an empire and of sensing the implications of decisions made in a far off land but that will ripple across countries, like it or not, permeated my thought. A sadness, it could be the Roman Empire or any other but the rise and the inevitable fall doesn’t come easy.

Trees fill the view, horizon to horizon, this is a vast National Park in which I live. I only have to leave the road to feel antiquity.

Anyway, song got written and recorded and Matt Heinonen who lives up the road and is a cantankerous and creative film maker generously donated time and resources to put the film clip together. It’s well done and, in response to my tribal and ancient sense of the song replied that ‘Ancient is hard to find on film or video.’ Fair point but it does go to show how visions get changed in translation.

I like the song regardless of imagery.

 

        FALL OF AN EMPIRE - RECOGNITION OF THE CHILD

I recognise this mist ........... I’ve walked this path before

I recognise this mist ........... before I went to war

My senses are alert, there is no need for haste

I recognise this war on peace, I recognise my state of grace

Do not allow for the fall of an empire

To be our personal downfall - too much at stake

 

We’ve walked this path before

It was in ancient times - you remember

We’ve had our Armageddon - we’ve had our holocaust

We’ve walked this path before .... we know the cost

Do not allow for the fall of an empire

To be our personal downfall - too much at stake

 

I recognise this child, I recognise the need to be gentle

I recognise this much ...... we’ve walked this path before

I cannot say which need is more but needs our dedication

I will not allow for the fall of an empire

To be our personal downfall - too much at stake

 

I recognise this mist ............ I’ve walked this path before

This mist is just before my eyes ................ extends no more

My vision clears up, there is no need for haste

I recognise this new born child

I recognise our state of grace

I will not allow for the fall of the empire

To be our personal downfall - too much at stake