1. |
Part I: The Road
09:27
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She opens up the gate and walks to the road
The dawn is cloudy and there’s mist on the hills
There’s no one out there, just herself and the land
Into the stillness she goes
And so she runs to where the land meets the sea
Monochrome rollers surging up to where she stands
She leans into the wind; the wind catches her
She doesn’t know how she feels
Something approaches, small and distant and strange:
A grey bird soaring, skimming over the waves
It flies right for her; she stands rooted in place
She recognizes the face
It lights upon the shore and silently waits
She looks into the eyes
Waking sight
Breaking light
Unfurling feathers and a sweep of the wings
Glossy black, flash of white
Tail alight
Taking flight
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2. |
Part II: For Joy
08:42
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Open sky surrounds me
With every breath, I’m rising
Moves the heart; feel it pounding
The call, resounding:
“Follow, follow…”
One for sorrow
Two for joy
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3. |
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Witness two birds passing
Through a veil of clouds
Feathers softly circling around them
Their weightless bodies carried
By the thickened air
Towards the snowy mountain valley
Feathers softly circling
Around their weightless bodies
Barren branches cradle
All the little birds
Peeking through their nests, lined with love notes
Who will keep them warm
And guide them on the wind?
Who will show them how to sing?
Who will hold and love them?
Do they yearn for the love of a mother?
The forest is heavy with snow
But there’s a path that wanders through the pines
Forgotten and overgrown
Entangled evergreen boughs tug at shrouded travellers
And while life roams wild in these woods
Moonlight reveals a trail of bird prints in the snow
The air is close and stifling
Inside this narrow cave
A sudden feeling takes hold in the darkness
Though my heart is racing
I’m frozen to the ground
I cannot make a sound
This pain seems endless
Then I feel the touch of a bird, beside me
“Wait in the darkness,
Wait in the darkness,
Be still,”
the bird softly says beside me
Trembling, I can only listen
“Open your eyes wide
And you’ll see in the dark”
And slowly strange shapes do appear
Faded images tell a story on the cavern walls:
A magpie, a golden crown
A rosehip, a stone in a shell
A secret that she never tells
A passage, and a farewell
Must all be cast into Panea’s Well
-How can I break this spell?-
Who will love and nurture
All the little birds,
-This burning, shameful spell?-
Who will show them how to sing?
-Without a voice-
How can you forsake me?
-There is no choice-
Are you so ashamed?
My love, I miss you so
I can’t let go
I can’t say goodbye
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4. |
Part IV: The White Elk
04:52
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5. |
Part V: Nest Predator
08:54
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Someone’s out there
I’m crouching low
Covering you
Watching the shadows
I feel her moving closer
And I can smell fear
Too near
No, I won’t lose you
Again
Oh, my love, my quiet song
I have held you for so long
Know, although your shell is cold,
I’ll hold you through the night,
Guard you with my life
With my empty arms
Keep you safe from harm
She’s still out there
Will never leave
And I’m so tired
Someone’s screaming
If this is our last moment
Remember all my love
No, I won’t lose you
I won’t lose you
Oh, when will I ever be free
Just take it please
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6. |
Part VI: Carrion
12:48
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How do they know
That they should go
Toward the smell of decay
And not away?
Here come the corvids
See those harbingers of doom
They come to eat
To eat the death away
Consume the death away
But how do they know
That they should go
Know that they should go
How do they know
That they should go
Toward the smell of decay
And not away?
Away
And not away
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7. |
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I see a bird
(Who are you?)
With the markings of a magpie
And I can feel her watching me
(What do you see)
Out of the corner of her eye
(Of her eye
Of her eye)
Who are you?
Who are you? the mountain cries,
Who are you,
With the tears streaming down your cheeks?
(Do you see,
Do you see
I see you)
Waiting to be seen
(In the light,
The light)
In the early light
Come closer to the mirror
With your heart and your bones
Recognize
There’s a rose
Blooming inside your eyes
Your eyes
Blooms a flush of roses
Ever blooming roses
Ever as I am
As I am
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8. |
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When we are born, we know
How to cry
Night falls and mother sings
Lullaby
Hushabye
Don’t you cry
Soon we begin to speak
Imitate
Patterns and frequencies
Permutate
A set of songs
Learned by heart
Identify
Who you are
But when your song is broken
How can the truth be spoken?
Oh, but this is the price of love
My darling
This is the price of love
So make a choice
Release your second voice
Although your song is broken
Why can’t the truth be spoken?
Because this is the price of love
My darling
This is the price of love
Of love
Here is your cry, transformed
Into a new voice, reborn
And you realize a mother’s song
She slowly turns away and walks to the road
Waking sight
Soul ignite
Breaking light
Taking flight
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Sarah Jerrom Toronto, Ontario
Sarah Jerrom is a vocalist, composer and arranger specializing in jazz and creative/experimental music.
Sarah Jerrom recommends:
Unconfined Invisible
by Harley Card
Such prolific songwriting and beautiful performances. Favourite track: Strain
go to album
All the Little Things You Do
by Rebecca Hennessy
This beautiful album gives me all the feels. Special sounds, beautiful songwriting and performances. Favourite track: Magnolia
go to albumIf you like Sarah Jerrom, you may also like:
Songs You Like A Lot
by John Hollenbeck
supported by 4 fans who also own “Magpie”
Cool rendition of songs we all know! John Hollenbeck did it again!
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Penelope (in support of World Child Cancer)
by Billy Marrows
All proceeds from this gorgeous chamber jazz LP go to support UK organization World Child Cancer.
go to album
You Would Do Well
by The Dirty Snacks Ensemble
Post-jazz, indie rock, modern classical, and hip-hop come together on the Oakland multi-instrumentalist's new, desert-inspired LP.
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These romantic pieces by bassist and composer Robert Lee were inspired by Korean folktales.
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