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1 FROM THE ASHES
2 I, NOSTRADAMUS
3 STRANGE WORLD
4 NOTHING TOUCHES ME
5 THAT IT SHOULD ALL HAVE COME TO THIS
6 BEFORE WE CAN SLEEP
7 EVERY EVERYMAN
8 THE LIVES WE TOUCH
9 MAN MADE SUN
10 IT MAY BE THAT YOU WON'T FOLLOW THE PLAN
11 LIONHEART
12 CROSS THE GREAT WATER
EVERY, EVERYMAN.
I am the man who tills the ground
Who fights the war
Makes the factory sound.
I work in stores, I work in schools,
I work with words
Or else with tools.
I swim the waters but leave no wake,
I breathe the air,
But no sound I make.
In a thousand photographs I’ll be,
Though when you look,
You won’t see me.
A thousand books will come my way
But in their pages
I’ll have no say.
Though I live and love and procreate
In honour lists
I’ll never rate.
My journey is three score and ten
Like lesser and
Far greater men.
But then, I can’t adjust, you see,
To unjust
Anonymity.
Dead before I’m gone won’t do,
For me, I fear –
And for you too?
I’m not around to shrink and quake
The world is mine
To move and shake.
Still, old men talk and young men die,
And narrow still
Is history’s eye.
The books are full of braid and crown,
Mitres, mortars, glorious gowns,
Rich and famous, cruel and callous,
Liveried servants, gilded palace,
Statues, sceptres, orbs and thrones
Privilege, blue blood, stately homes.
Self aggrandised funeral vaults,
Belying greed and other faults,
Revolutions, executions,
The inquisition and absolutions,
Popery and papal Bulls,
The art of war and a thousand skulls,
Exploitation, slave plantations,
The day-to-day of making nations.
Oh, weary are the common folk,
The troops, the plebs, the common bloke,
The vassals and the commoners,
The great-unwashed “inferiors”
The waifs, the workers, peons, drones,
The hungry waif of skin and bones,
The plague of proletariats
Who bob and curtsy, remove their hats,
The third class, steerage, lower classes,
The droids, the “untermenschen” masses
So here’s to every everyman
Who thwarts the masters’ master plan,
Who swims the waters, yet leaves no wake,
Who breathes the air, yet no sound makes?
© Paul Blest, 2019
I, NOSTRADAMUS
I, Nostradamus, always at your command,
I see and hear as no-one else,
Your future in my hands,
Revered by man, reviled by man,
Present in all men's dreams,
How horror-filled this world of ours,
How close disaster seems.
CHORUS
Yet I'm a man,
I have free will,
To cure the sick or else to kill.
Must I accept each prophecy,
Or in it hope to find the key
To end all bitterness and strife
Before we end all earthly life.
I, Nostradamus, seen to walk with kings,
Mingled too with common men,
Concerned with simple things,
Plague victims and royal whims,
All within my sphere,
But I could not save my wife and child,
Or make the captives hear
CHORUS
INSTRUMENTAL BREAK
I, Nostradamus, still walk in step with men,
The wheel of fortune turning still,
To cease we know not when,
Twenty-seven years of war,
And then a golden age,
Before them all an antichrist.
The world must feel his rage.
Nostradamus.........Nostradamus............Nostradamus
© Paul Blest, 2019
STRANGE WORLD
And it’s a strange world
You’re gonna to come in to,
But you can be sure
That we’re going to welcome you,
Strange world will leave its mark upon your life.
And you will be told
Not to hurt or be spiteful,
But when you get older
They might hand you a rifle,
Saying when you’re a man you must cast off childish things.
CHORUS
And it’s a strange world,
Strange world will leave its mark upon your life.
It seems to be strange
That people are crying
That they have no food
While we’re here destroying
Surplus mountains of food that it seems we will not share.
And then you might be surprised
When those that are beautiful
Live at their ease
While those who are dutiful
Pay for their failing to live and die alone.
CHORUS
And it’s a strange world,
Strange world will leave its mark upon your life.
Then the magic box stars
Who people our days
Get awards and acclaim
While those they portray
Have to live with their doubts,
Live from day to day.
But you will be strong,
Find your own way,
Write your own songs
And make sure you can say
That it’s a strange world but I left my mark on life.
CHORUS
And it’s a strange world,
Strange world will leave its mark upon your life........
As it did on mine.
© Paul Blest, 2019
NOTHING TOUCHES ME.
Nothing touches me
The way it used to be –
Something’s died inside.
I can’t feel the pain,
Hear the thunder,
Touch the rain –
Something’s died inside.
But that’s not the way
It should stay,
Just want to live
From day to day,
And now I wonder if we loved too much
And far too long?
It seems the closer you get to love,
The more that is hidden from you –
Love has its lovers,
But it has its victims too.
This ain’t what we planned,
Love slippin’ away like sand –
Something’s died inside.
I had learned to feel,
Thought I knew just what was real –
Something’s died inside.
But that’s not the way
It should stay,
Just want to live
From day to day,
And now I wonder if we loved too much
And far too long?
It seems the closer you get to love,
The more that is hidden from you –
Love has its lovers,
But it has its victims too.
But it’s got to be love that leads you,
It’s got to be love that feeds you,
It’s got to be love,
Above all.
© Paul Blest, 2019
THAT IT SHOULD ALL HAVE COME TO THIS
That it should all have come to this,
Our finest dreams have died at death’s kiss,
Just when we’d come to understand
To walk together hand in hand,
It breaks my heart
That it should all have come to this.
And now the garden is destroyed and burnt to dust,
And men now weep and wonder why - as well they must,
The chain of life is shattered now
And those who planned all wonder how
With all their wisdom
Why it should all have come to this.
And there’s no refuge anywhere upon this earth,
Scarce a child who lives a week beyond its birth,
Vivid agonies of pain
Come and come again,
If we had known
The world would not have been like this.
© Paul Blest, 2019
BEFORE WE CAN SLEEP.
It’s a time of reckoning
And you know such times are few
A chance to shed a winter’s coat,
A chance to start anew,
Maybe with time we’ll realise
What we have here in our hands,
Maybe it’s not too late to put things right,
Hold back the shifting sands,
Maybe we'll get there
Without good cause to weep,
But there are many miles to travel
Before we can sleep.
Lords of all that we behold
And now we touch the heavens too,
Like gods we stride this planet
And take its riches as our due,
But as we live on mountains,
So must we feel a winter’s chill,
Gods must fall when conscience
Is no brother to our skills,
We are earth’s greatest killers,
And still too many weep,
And there are many miles to travel
Before we can sleep.
It’s a time of reckoning
And you know such times are few
A chance to shed a winter’s coat,
A chance to start anew,
And now with time we realise
What we have here in our hands,
We know it’s not too late to put things right,
Hold back the shifting sands,
We know we’ll get there
Without good cause to weep,
But there are many miles to travel
Before we can sleep.
© Paul Blest, 2019
MAN MADE SUN
THE TYRANT
So you must listen,
And you must hear,
Let your determination build
With each passing year.
When that time comes,
As it surely will,
You must wear the uniform proudly,
Press the button, pull the trigger
You must kill!
TYRANT, ANNE
It’s in your power,
In your hands,
One leader
Many lands…
And when the man-made sun
Rises from
The darkness of the seven seas,
You must face your death with dignity
While your conscience is at ease?
ANNE
So will you listen,
But will you hear?
Will your determination die
With the fading year?
When that time comes,
As it surely will,
Can you wear the uniform proudly,
Press the button, pull the trigger,
Can you kill?
TYRANT, ANNE
It’s in your power,
In your hands,
One people,
Many lands,
And if the man-made sun
Rises from
The darkness of the seven seas,
Could you face your death with dignity
And would your conscience be at ease?
THE TYRANT
This is the legacy
That I leave to you,
I rest my case and I have not deceived you,
This is your burden
You may not reject,
You are the master of the future,
Seize the power,
That’s what people will respect.
ANNE
This is the legacy
That I leave to you,
I rest my case and I have not deceived you,
This is your burden,
You may not reject,
You are the guardian of the future,
Tend your garden,
Treat it with respect.
CHORUS
THE ANTICHRIST.
It’s in your power,
In your hands,
One leader,
Many lands…
And when the man-made sun
Rises from
The darkness of the seven seas,
You must face your death with dignity
While your conscience is at ease?
ANNE.
It’s in your power,
In your hands,
One people,
Many lands,
And if the man-made sun
Rises from
The darkness of the seven seas,
Could you face your death with dignity
And would your conscience be at ease?
© Paul Blest, 2019
THE LIVES WE TOUCH
I’d always hoped there’d be
Another song,
I pledge my life to you
May you live long,
May all the lives that you touch
Mean more to you than gold
May everyone that you love
Still love you when you’re old,
CHORUS.
And may you find love,
May the sun shine on your back
And keep the storms at bay,
When all around is dark and night,
May yours be light and day.
When all you need is love and comfort,
May hands reach out to you,
May your worst fears be unfounded,
May all your dreams come true,
CHORUS.
INSTRUMENTAL BREAK
When pain and conflict weaken you,
May you find release,
And as the years slip away,
I hope that you find peace.
May all the sorrows that you feel
Be ones you rise above,
Whatever else this world may bring,
I hope it brings you love.
CHORUS.
© Paul Blest, 2019
IT MAY BE THAT YOU WON’T FOLLOW THE PLAN
It may be That you won’t follow the plan,
Walk in the steps of the man
Who went before you.
It may be that you won’t go hand in hand,
Nor march in time with the band…
Though it may tempt you
It may be that you’ll be free,
You’ll be the hermit,
The freak or nobody,
But let no man
Stay your hand,
Reach out and grasp
Whatever you planned,
And be true to yourself,
Don’t let go,
Be true to yourself,
Let it show,
Be true……
There will be times
When you can’t cover the hurt,
Times when what you thought was certain
Will betray you.
There will be times
When you'll feel so alone,
Times when nowhere is home and dry
For you.
There will be times
When nothing rhymes,
When life is cruel only to be kind,
Yes, you will weaken,
But you will never fall,
Willing to serve all men,
But never there to crawl,
There’s a plan for each man –
Break the mould,
Grow wise while you can,
Or just grow old,
Grow wise….
It may be that you won’t follow the plan,
Walk in the steps of the man
Who went before you.
It may be that you won’t go hand in hand,
Nor march in time with the band…
Though it may tempt you
© Paul Blest, 2019
LIONHEART
Leave me alone!
I can make it on my own.
Let me be free!
Don't need no-one to teach me.
No-matter what you say,
I'll go my own way,
I'll fill my time,
Make sure my life is mine.
CHORUS Lionheart I stride the earth!
Without fear I wander,
Attendant stars reflect my birth,
Sparkling without number.
I am a child,
A child of the sun,
With morning's clearing mists
My day was begun.
My mother, mother earth,
My father the thunder,
With shades of crashing light,
I came to wander.
I travel with the swift streams,
My heart is on the breeze,
My food, my shelter and my home
Are here among the trees.
I fear no man,br>
No man fears me,
All conflict now has ceased to be,
The tragedy and bitter strife
Have given way to love and life.
Leave me alone!
I can make it on my own.
Let me be free!
Don't need no-one to teach me.
No-matter what you say,
I'll choose to love or hate.
I'll fill my time,
Make sure my life is mine.
CHORUS
Lionheart I stride the earth!
Without fear I wander.
Attendant stars reflect my birth,
Sparkling without number.
© Paul Blest, 2019
CROSS THE GREAT WATER
I climbed the mountain,
Asked what I should do,
Tell me where the wise man is,
It’s him I must talk to.
I am tired and weary,
My travels make me weak,
Tell me where the wise man lives,
It’s to him that I must speak.
CHORUS
And you may cross the great water,
Safely leave the land,
The one you seek, the one you need
Is there at your command.
I looked down on the valley,
The land from where I came,
I saw my native country
But it didn’t look the same,
The further up the mountain,
The more I gazed in awe,
I saw my native country
As I never had before.
CHORUS
Tell me where the wise man is,
What else must I do?
Tell me where the wise man is……..
The wise man it is you!
© Paul Blest, 2019
IN THE END, THERE MUST BE LOVE.
In the end,
There must be love,
In the end,
There must be love,
Bringing peace,
Like a winging dove.
CHORUS
In the end,
The gifts you send
Will wither, fade
Or maybe turn to dust,
Memories fade, cold winds blow,
Where you once doubted,
You will know…
There must be love,
Love,
There must be love,
Love.
It’s just a song,
Just a rhyme,
Just a song,
Just a rhyme,
Bringing peace
That will last all time.
CHORUS
In the end,
The gifts you send
Will wither, fade
Or maybe turn to dust,
Memories fade, cold winds blow,
Where you once doubted,
You will know…
There must be love,
Love,
There must be love,
Love.
© Paul Blest, 2019
IN THE END, THERE MUST BE LOVE.
In the end,
There must be love,
In the end,
There must be love,
Bringing peace,
Like a winging dove.
CHORUS
In the end,
The gifts you send
Will wither, fade
Or maybe turn to dust,
Memories fade, cold winds blow,
Where you once doubted,
You will know…
There must be love,
Love,
There must be love,
Love.
It’s just a song,
Just a rhyme,
Just a song,
Just a rhyme,
Bringing peace
That will last all time.
CHORUS
In the end,
The gifts you send
Will wither, fade
Or maybe turn to dust,
Memories fade, cold winds blow,
Where you once doubted,
You will know…
There must be love,
Love,
There must be love,
Love.
© Paul Blest, 2019
All songs from the musical now available on iTunes, Spotify and multiple streaming sites; please search for I, Nostradamus the musical or Paul William Blest.
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