Sunday, July 31, 2005

The Great American Novel

I was born and raised an orphan
In a land that once was free
In a land that poured it's love out on the moon
And i grew up in the shadows
Of your silos filled with grain
But you never helped to fill my empty spoon

And when I was ten you murdered law
With courtroom politics
And you learnt to make a lie sound just like truth
But I know you better now
And I don't fall for all your tricks
And you've lost the one advantage of my youth


You kill a black man at midnight
Just for talking to your daughter
Then you make his wife your mistress
And you leave her without water
And the sheet you wear upon your face
Is the sheet your children sleep on
And every meal you say a prayer
You don't believe but still you keep on


And your money says 'In God We Trust'
But it's against the law to pray in school
You say we beat the Russians to the moon
And I say you starved your children to do it


You are far across the ocean
In a war that's not your own
And whilst you're winning theirs
You're gonna lose the one at home
Do you really think the only way
To bring about the peace
Is to sacrifice your children
And kill all your enemies

The politicians all make speeches
While the news men all take note
And they exagerate the issues
As they shove it down our throats
Is it really up to them
Whether this country sinks or floats
And I wonder who would lead us
If none of us would vote


Well my phone is tapped and my lips are chapped
From whispering through the fence
You know every move I make
Or is that just coincidence
Well you try to make my way of life
A little less like jail
If I promise to make tapes and slides
And send them through the mail


And your money says 'In God We Trust'
But its against the law to pray in school
You say we beat the Russians to the moon
And I say you starved your children to do it

You say 'all men are equal all men are brothers'
Then why are the rich more equal than others?
Don't ask me for the answer I've only got one
That a man leaves his darkness when he follows the Son


Larry Norman, 1972

2 comments:

Eric Wakeling said...

What's the total dollar figure on the war in Iraq?? See the current total of the Cost of War here. When I checked it was 184 billion dollars. How many children could be alive instead of dead if we used that money differently? How many homeless men, women, and children could have mansions with that money? How many music programs could be saved with that money? How many poems could be written instead of people working in cubicles with that money? How many meals would the Rescue Mission not need to serve because we used that money wisely? Christian president? It's hard not to cuss.

Anonymous said...

Ryan, I don't know you, but I followed a link from Jason Evans' site and it turns out that we both graduated from Biola. I recognize your face from the pictures you post, but I don't think I ever knew you. I do agree with your thoughts about Biola too. I would definitely choose something else now, but at the time it worked out okay. I did get a wife out of the 4.5 year program though, so that's good for me.

Anyway, it's great to read about your journey. It really encouraged me to read through your posts. There are many ways I can relate... I'm going to maybe add you to a link on my family site deal that I keep up. Talk soon...