Texts

II. Loksi’ Hakshop (Turtle Shells) from Taloowa Chipota 

Music and Vocables by Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate 

I Dream A World 

Music by Rosephanye Dunn Powell 

Words by Langston Hughes

I dream a world where man

No other man will scorn,

Where love will bless the earth

And peace its paths adorn

I dream a world where all

Will know sweet freedom's way,

Where greed no longer saps the soul

Nor avarice blights our day.

A world I dream where black or white,

Whatever race you be,

Will share the bounties of the earth

And every man is free,

Where wretchedness will hang its head

And joy, like a pearl,

Attends the needs of all mankind-

Of such I dream, my world!

I dream our world! 

Undivided 

Music and Text by Karen Marrolli 

When darkness drops an anchor

In the fearful oceans of our minds,

And when the world is preaching rancor,

I can choose to be kind.

And maybe more will find the quiet rivers,

Where we’ll lift a peaceful melody,

And undivided we will stand,

Stand together, hand in hand.

And when hatred shatters silence,

And each one clings to each one’s will,

And when the world bows down to violence,

I can refuse to kill.

And maybe more will join in sweet resistance,

Singing chords in gentle harmony,

And undivided we will stand,

Stand together, hand in hand.

And when anger breeds division,

We choose to stand side by side,

And when the world exalts derision,

We can choose to lift each other high.

And maybe then we’ll join in one big chorus,

Singing songs of peace and unity,

And undivided we will stand,

Stand together, hand in hand

Choose Love

Music and Words by Kyle Pederson

Astra inclinant, sed non obligant, (the stars incline us, they do not bind us)

Fate may conspire, the gods may desire, history repeats and repeats

and repeats its ideas and deeds. But you can refuse.

What will you choose? I choose love.

Finding A Home 

Music by Sydney Guillaume 

Text by Sydney Guillaume and Kevin Ramsden in collaboration with Boston Children’s Chorus 

Our drum has lost its beat, Tanbou nou pèdi kadans,*

There’s displacement under our feet. Nou santi nou depeyize.

As we walk along these foreign lands,

We will find a home again.

A home isn't confined to a place.

It’s a community, a warm embrace.

Our memories will never die, Pa gen souvni k’ap janm pèdi,

If we seek the rhythms of our past. Si nou chèche tanbou zansèt nou yo.

It’s in our journey we find a home, Se nan chimen lavi nou jwenn lakay.

Embracing change and sharing lives.

Let the tears of anguish run dry,

Our life is here, our home is here.

Listen to the rhythms of our feet,

Our drum has found its beat. Tanbou nou reprann kadans.

Da-da-dumm, Ta-ka-doum,

We found a home again. We found a home.

Precious Lord, Take My Hand 

Music and Text by Thomas A. Dorsey 

Arr. Howard Helvey 

Precious Lord, take my hand

Lead me on, let me stand

I'm tired, I’m weak, I’m lone

Through the storm, through the night

Lead me on to the light

Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home

When my way grows drear precious Lord linger near

When my light is almost gone

Hear my cry, hear my call

Hold my hand lest I fall

Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home

When the darkness appears and the night draws near

And the day is past and gone

At the river I stand

Guide my feet, hold my hand

Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home

Precious Lord, take my hand

Lead me on, let me stand

I'm tired, I’m weak, I’m lone

Through the storm, through the night

Lead me on to the light

Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home

Sign Me Up 

Concert Gospel quoting “Roll, Jordan, Roll”

Music by Brandon Boyd

Text by Jerome Metcalfe and Kevin Yancy

Sign me up for the Christian jubilee;

Write my name on the roll.

I’ve been changed since the Lord has lifted me.

I wanna be, yes, I got to be born again.

Roll, Jordan, roll. I wanna go to heaven when I die,

to hear ol’ Jordan roll. O Lord.

I got a robe in glory; I’m gonna tell the story.

How I made it over, soon as I get home.

I’m going to glory; Gonna shout my troubles over.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

I’ve been changed since the Lord has lifted me.

I wanna be, yes, I got to be born again.

Born again. Born again!