birdsong

> HERE IS A WARNING THAT SHOULD BE HEARD

      HOW LIFE COULD BE WITHOUT A SINGLE BIRD
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> HOW SOME FOLK WANT MORE THAN THEY NEED
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> AND FIND EXCUSES TO JUSTIFY THEIR GREED
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> SO GREEDY THEY WANT ALL THE FOOD FOR THEMSELVES
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> ALL THE RICE AND CORN TO BE KEPT ON THEIR SHELVES
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> SO THEY SEND ALL THE BIRDS AWAY
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> TO ANOTHER ISLAND THAT’S FAR AWAY
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> THE LAND BECOMES SILENT AND TRY AS THEY MIGHT
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> THEY CAN HEAR NOTHING THROUGH THE DAY AND THE NIGHT
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> ALL THE BEASTS UNDERSTAND THE SONG OF EVERY BIRD
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> SO THEY DECIDE NO ANIMAL SOUNDS CAN EVER BE HEARD
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> THE DOGS DO NOT BARK, THE HORSE DOES NOT NEIGH
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> THE COWS DO NOT MOO, EVEN PIGS HAVE NOTHING TO SAY
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> THE CATS WHO USUALLY LOVE TO MEAOW
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> SAY THEY WILL BE SILENT ANYHOW
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>  
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> NOWHERE CAN BE SEEN A CHICKEN OR DUCK
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> THE STUPID PEOPLE HAVE NOTHING TO PLUCK
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> NO OWLS TO KILL THE RATS OR THE MICE
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> SO THE RODENTS CAN EAT THE CORN AND THE RICE
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> SEA BIRDS WON’T GUIDE CANOES TO THEIR PREY
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> FISHERMEN COME BACK EMPTY AT THE END OF THE DAY
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> DOGS SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT AND DON’T MAKE A SOUND
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> NO ALARMS RAISED, THE THIEVES NEVER FOUND
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> BIRDS NOT WAKING PEOPLE WITH THEIR MORNING SONG
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> INSTEAD EVERYONE SLEEPS ALL THE DAY LONG
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>  
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> IN THE PLANTATIONS NO SEEDS CAN THEY SOW
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> INSECTS EAT EVERYTHING BEFORE IT CAN GROW
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> THE PEOPLE CRY OUT IN DESPAIR
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> “BRING BACK THE BIRDS, THIS JUST ISN’T FAIR”
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> “IS THERE ANYONE WHO KNOWS BIRDS AND UNDERSTANDS WHAT THEY SAY
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> WHO CAN TRAVEL TO THE ISLAND THAT’S SO FAR AWAY”
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>  
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> WELL, THEY SEARCHED AND SEARCHED ALL OVER THE LAND
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> LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO COULD UNDERSTAND
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> THE LANGUAGE OF BIRDS AND MAKE THEM COME BACK
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> IF NOT, THEIR FUTURE WAS LOOKING SO BLACK
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> AT LAST A GIRL DID APPEAR
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> WHO LISTENED TO BIRDSONG, NOT A PHONE IN HER EAR
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> “PLEASE BRING BACK THE BIRDS, YOU CAN HAVE WHATEVER YOU NEED
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> RIDE ON THE BACK OF A BEAUTIFUL WHITE STEED
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> BE A PRINCESS WITH A GOLDEN CROWN
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> WEAR DIAMONDS AND PEARLS AND A VELVET GOWN
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> EAT LOTS OF CAKES AND DRINK PLENTY OF BEER
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> LIVE IN A CASTLE WITH NOTHING TO FEAR
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> SERVANTS TO TEND YOU AND SIT ON A THRONE
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> ALL THESE THINGS TO HAVE FOR YOUR OWN
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> IF YOU MAKE THE JOURNEY THAT’S DANGEROUS AND LONG
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> AND BRING BACK THE BIRDS SO WE CAN AGAIN HEAR THEIR SONG
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>  
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> “I DO NOT WISH TO BE A PRINCESS” SHE SAID
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> “WITH DIAMONDS AND PEARLS AND A CROWN ON MY HEAD
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> YOU CAN KEEP YOUR CAKES, YOUR BEER AND YOUR SILLY GOWN
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> THEY WOULD SINK MY CANOE AND THEN I WOULD DROWN
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> AND AS FOR YOUR HORSE WHETHER IT’S WHITE OR PINK
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> I WOULD PREFFER TO WALK AND NOT SUFFER ITS STINK
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> IT WOULD BE MUCH BETTER TO GIVE ALL THE CHILDREN YOUR LOVE AND YOUR LAUGHTER
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> BE KIND TO THEM NOW AND FROM HERE EVER AFTER”
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>  
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> THIS THEY AGREED TO DO FOREVER AND A DAY
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> IF ONLY SHE COULD BRING THE BIRDS BACK TO STAY
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> SO SHE MADE THE LONG JOURNEY IN HER CANOE
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> AND HOPED WHAT THE PEOPLE SAID WOULD COME TRUE
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>  
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>  
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> WHEN, AT LAST, SHE CAME TO THE ISLAND OF BIRDSONG
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> SHE KNEW WHAT WAS RIGHT AND WHAT WAS WRONG
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> FOR ALL THE BIRDS HAD GATHERED TOGETHER
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> ALL THE COLOURS OF THE RAINBOW IN EVERY FEATHER
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> THERE WAS THE TONGAN WHISTLER, SO YELLOW AND SMALL
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> AND THE SEA EAGLE WHO WAS THE BIGGEST OF ALL
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> SO MANY BIRDS OF EVERY COLOUR AND SIZE
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> FROM THE ROOSTER TO THE OWL WHO WAS CLEVER AND WISE
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>  
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> THE GIRL LOOKED ON AS IF IN A DREAM
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> ALL THE BIRDS BEGAN TO ARGUE AND SCREAM
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> THEY ALL WANTED TO PUSH THEIR POINT OF VIEW
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> THERE WAS EVEN A FIGHT WITH A QUARREL OR TWO
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> THEY ARE A TALKATIVE LOT WHO MUST HAVE THEIR SAY
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> AND ALL WANTED TO CHAT THROUGH THE LIVELONG DAY
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>  
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> ALAS, THE NOISE WAS SO LOUD FROM EVERY BIRD
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> WHATEVER WAS SAID COULD NOT BE HEARD
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> WITH A MIXTURE OF SKWARKING, CROWING AND SCREECHING
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> NOTHING COULD BE DECIDED WITHIN THE MEETING
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>  
>5
> THEN THE OWL BROUGHT THEM ALL TO THEIR SENSES
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> “STOP THIS NONSENCE AND PUT DOWN YOUR DEFENCES
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> YOU HAVE LIVED WITH THE HUMANS FAR TOO LONG
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> AND FORGOTTEN HOW YOU SHOULD SHARE YOUR SONG
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> IF YOU ALL WILL AGREE I THINK IT’S OKAY
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> LET’S HEAR WHAT THIS GIRL HAS TO SAY
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> SHE SPEAKS MORE SENSE THEN ALL YOU LOT HERE
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> WHATEVER SHE SAYS, I THINK WE SHOULD HEAR”
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>  
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> THERE AND THEN, RIGHT ON THE SPOT
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> THE LITTLE GIRL SAID WHAT THE BIRDS LIKED A LOT
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> “I THINK YOU SHOULD GO BACK AND DO WHAT IS FAIR
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> IF ONLY THE HUMANS WILL GIVE YOU YOUR SHARE
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> OF ALL THE CORN AND RIPENED GRAIN
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> SO YOU WILL NEVER, EVER BE HUNGRY AGAIN
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> IN RETURN DO WHAT’S TRUE TO YOUR BELIEF
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> AND KEEP THE CATTERPILLAR FROM THE CABBAGE LEAF”
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>  
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> “AYE, WELL AND TRULY SAID
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> WE BIRDS MUST EARN OUR DAILY BREAD”
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> WISE OWL SPOKE “I DON’T GIVE A HOOT FOR THINGS THAT CRAWL
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> BUT WE MUST NOT REALLY EAT THEM ALL
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> GRASSHOPPERS, APHIDS AND EVEN TICS
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> WE MUST HAVE SOMETHING TO FEED OUR BABY CHICKS
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> OTHERWISE, IF YOU THINK IT THROUGH
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> WE WILL HAVE NOTHING TO EAT LIKE THESE SILLY HUMANS DO
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> BUT VERILY I MUST ATONE
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> BIRDS CANNOT LIVE BY CORN ALONE
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> I HAVE LONG SINCE LEARNED TO LEAVE A MOUSE OR TWO
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> SO I MIGHT HAVE A MEAL WHEN PASSING THROUGH”
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>  
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> SO, EVENTUALLY THEY ALL CAME TO AGREE
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> THAT IT WAS BETTER TO LET SOME INSECTS ROAM FREE
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> ESPECIALLY THE BUTTERFLY WITH COLOURS SO BRIGHT
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> LET SOME LIVE, THAT SEEMED ALRIGHT
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> THEN THE CHICKENS AND VEKA RAISED AN OBJECTION
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> “WE WHO DON’T FLY NEED PROTECTION
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> WE CAME HERE BY BOAT ON A DIFFICULT TACK
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> IT WOULDN’T BE HARD FOR US TO GO BACK
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> TRUE, WE ARE NOT BIRDS OF THE AIR
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> AS FOR FLYING WE DON’T CARE
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> BUT LIKE ALL OTHER BIRDS WE CROW AND WE CHEAP
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> AND SO WE TOO ARE WEARTHY OF OUR KEEP”
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> AND QUICK AS AN EGG COULD EVER BE LAID
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> A DECISION TO RETURN WAS DULY MADE
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>  
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> SOME STAYED BUT MOST RETURNED HOME
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> SAFE AND SECURE NO NEED TO ROAM
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> PEOPLE SOON REALISED THAT THEY HAD BEEN WRONG
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> LIFE CAN’T EXIST WITHOUT BIRDSONG
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>  
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> THE BIRDS WENT BACK WITH THE GIRL IN GLORY
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> BUT THAT’S NOT THE END OF THE STORY,
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>  
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> NOW IT’S THE PEOPLES TURN TO DO WHAT’S RIGHT
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> AND THEY TRY AND TRY WITH ALL OF THEIR MIGHT
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> THEIR NAKEDNESS WITH CLOTHES THEY COVER
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> THEN STOP FIGHTING AND KILLING EACH OTHER
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> GO TO CHURCH EVERY SUNDAY, FOLLOW THE PALANGI WAY
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> PRAISE THEIR HEAVENLY FATHER EVERY SINGLE DAY
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> LEARN FROM THE BIBLE AND KNOW CHAPTER AND VERSE
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> HOW TO ERADICATE SIN AND ITS WICKED CURSE
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> BUT STILL THEY BLOW SMOKE IN THE FACE OF THEIR KID
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> AND SLAP THEM NO MATTER WHAT THEY DID
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> PARTY ALL NIGHT LEAVING THEIR KIDS AT HOME
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> WITH NO ADULT TO WATCH THEM, ALL ALONE
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>  
>
>  
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> “THIS IS NOT HOW IT’S GOING TO BE
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> YOU MUST NOT FORGET YOUR PROMISE TO ME
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> CHILDREN NEED MORE THAN GOD ABOVE
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> THEY NEED A HOME AND MOTHERLY LOVE
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> HEAVEN IS NOT ABOVE US BUT HERE ON EARTH”
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> SAID THE GIRL FOR ALL SHE WAS WORTH
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> “SHOULD PEOPLE SUFFER BECAUSE OF THEIR GREED
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> WITH FATHERS WHO LEAVE THEIR FAMILIES IN NEED
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> AND IN SIN EVEN MORE THEY CONCEIVE
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> IS THIS REALLY WHAT YOU BELIEVE?”
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>  
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> STILL THEY RING THEIR BELLS ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT
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> PREACHING THE PEOPLE TO SEE THE LIGHT
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> BUT THE LIGHT THEY SEEK IS OUT OF SIGHT
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> “HAVE FAITH” THEY SAY “AND DO WHAT’S RIGHT”.
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> AND IT SEEMS QUITE RIGHT THROUGH A KAVA HAZE
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> DRINKING NIGHTS AND SLEEPING DAYS
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> FOOD IS EASY TO BE FOUND
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> UNDER TREES UPON THE GROUND
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> FISH AND PIGS ARE THERE TO TAKE
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> EAT IT RAW OR IN THE GROUND TO BAKE
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>  
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> SOON THE PEOPLE BEGIN TO DO WHAT’S RIGHT
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> SEND CHILDREN TO SCHOOL TO READ AND WRITE
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> INSTEAD OF LEAVING FAMILIES IN DESPAIR
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> THEY REPLACE NEGLECT WITH LOVING CARE
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> AND NO MATTER WHAT THE COST
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> YOU CAN’T GET BACK A LOVE THAT’S LOST
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> BIT BY BIT AS TIME GOES BY
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> THEY RESPECT THE LAND, THE SEA, THE SKY: