Thursday, April 22, 2010

EARTH DAY AND REMEMBERING ELIAN GONZALEZ




Happy Earth Day everyone. Today is the 40th anniversary of the newest unofficial holiday. Today we try to observe conservation and appreciate the good things of this earth. Recycling waste and counting our many blessings. The author of Earth day was former Wisconsin senator Gaylord Nelson. How about that--Wisconsin has provided someone noble after giving the country a real rotten egg-- Joseph McCarthy in the 1950's. Today in 1994, Richard M. Nixon breathed his last after suffering a stroke only four days earlier. In 1864, Congress authorized the phrase "In God We Trust" for the first time on US coins. Interestingly enough, it would have been the birthday of Isabella the First-- who died at fifty-three. Isabella of course was the very rich queen who gave Christopher Columbus the money to discover America-- well sort of as we understand it now! But interestingly enough it is also the 10th anniversary of the round up of Elian Gonzalez, the ten year Cuban refugee who was placed in a crude row boat with then others to find freedom in America. I wrote a lyric about way back then (ten years ago) and I thought I would share it with you all:
ELIAN ELIAN_____
Adios Amigo, Elian

Little boy lost who has found his home
Cuba called your name.
Your portrait there was everywhere
But all this was a game
Now down have come the billboards
From the streets and byways there
The silence: almost deafening
Could it be they just don’t care?
Anymore,_________

Elian Elian
Adios Amigo, Elian!
ELIAN ELIAN_____
Adios Amigo, Elian

Little boy lost who has found his home
Cuba called your name.
Your portrait there was everywhere
But all this was a game
Now down have come the billboards
From the streets and byways there
The silence: almost deafening
Could it be they just don’t care?
Anymore,_________

Elian Elian
Adios Amigo, Elian!
ELIAN ELIAN_____
Adios Amigo, Elian

Little boy lost who has found his home
Cuba called your name.
Your portrait there was everywhere
But all this was a game
Now down have come the billboards
From the streets and byways there
The silence: almost deafening
Could it be they just don’t care?
Anymore,_________

Elian Elian
Adios Amigo, Elian!

Gone away: the imposing crowds
Have they gone home for good?
Gone away: That little one
Before he ever should
Sequestered from the public view
A symbol Castro played
Like an inexpensive violin
While the mesmerized just prayed

Missing you, Elian
Adios Amigo, Elian
Elian, Elian
Adios Amigo, Elian

What will his bold great future hold?
On this dying isle?
No magic here; its disappeared
So long ago it died
We must listen to our children
They will tell you what they feel
What’s inside their hearts each day
If its make believe
Or real_______________

Elian, Elian,
God is with you, everyday
Dear Elian

Our Freedom’s land
Should not be banned from this boy’s view
Why make him stay
Where people pray
To run away to find their joy
He’s just a little boy
Why must the minority

Decide which dreams come true?
Elian Elian
Love your father now
You’ll return somehow
To the land OF the free
Elian, Elian
In your heart your dream will earn
Reality, Reality___________
Elian, Elian,
Adios for now
You’ll return somehow
Elian, Elian
Obey your father now
You’ll return somehow
Elian, Elian!
Adios Amigo, Elian!

Gone away: the imposing crowds
Have they gone home for good?
Gone away: That little one
Before he ever should
Sequestered from the public view
A symbol Castro played
Like an inexpensive violin
While the mesmerized just prayed

Missing you, Elian
Adios Amigo, Elian

And now it’s done
What will become of this boy’s dreams?
He’s but a paragon, a symbol
So it seems
The sacrifice his mother made
Is lost forever too
Cuba has been cruel
Perhaps she’s made a fool out of you

Elian, Elian
Adios Amigo, Elian

What will his bold great future hold?
On this dying isle?
No magic here; its disappeared
So long ago it died
We must listen to our children
They will tell you what they feel
What’s inside their hearts each day
If its make believe
Or real_______________

Elian, Elian,
God is with you, everyday
Dear Elian

Our Freedom’s land
Should not be banned from this boy’s view
Why make him stay
Where people pray
To run away to find their joy
He’s just a little boy
Why must the minority

Decide which dreams come true?
Elian Elian
Love your father now
You’ll return somehow
To the land OF the free
Elian, Elian
In your heart your dream will earn
Reality,
Reality___________
Elian, Elian,
Audious for now
You’ll return somehow
Elian, Elian
Obey your father now
You’ll return somehow
Elian, Elian!
Adios Amigo, Elian! (Fade out)

Gone away: the imposing crowds
Have they gone home for good?
Gone away: That little one
Before he ever should
Sequestered from the public view
A symbol Castro played
Like an inexpensive violin
While the mesmerized just prayed

Missing you, Elian
Adios Amigo, Elian

And now it’s done
What will become of this boy’s dreams?
He’s but a paragon, a symbol
So it seems
The sacrifice his mother made
Is lost forever too
Cuba has been cruel
Perhaps she’s made a fool out of you

Elian, Elian
Adios Amigo, Elian

What will his bold great future hold?
On this dying isle?
No magic here; its disappeared
So long ago it died
We must listen to our children
They will tell you what they feel
What’s inside their hearts each day
If its make believe
Or real_______________

Elian, Elian,
God is with you, everyday
Dear Elian

Our Freedom’s land
Should not be banned from this boy’s view
Why make him stay
Where people pray
To run away to find their joy
He’s just a little boy
Why must the minority

Decide which dreams come true?
Elian Elian
Love your father now
You’ll return somehow
To the land OF the free
Elian, Elian
In your heart your dream will earn
Reality,
Reality___________
Elian, Elian,
Adios for now
You’ll return somehow
Elian, Elian
Obey your father now
You’ll return somehow
Elian, Elian!
Adios Amigo, Elian! (Fade out)

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