Last night  I sat in the dark outdoors with  the  Carrboro Bodies, Voices & Spirit Chorus  celebrating  Dia De Muertos, and we sang this song with a few crickets singing along in the very warm early November evening.  I wrote the song many years ago when a friend of mine died at an early age.  The song was inspired by the phrase "short time to be here and a long time gone" which is a traditional African American blues lyric.     I dedicate it to all of our beloveds who have gone on before us, and who are with us forever in the Heart.  I read yesterday that the indigenous Mexican people whose traditions are the root of  the contemporary Day of the Dead celebrations believe that  this life is a dream and that we wake up when we die.    I believe that is true,  unless we die before we die, or wake up before we die.     May all beings awaken to our true nature!  

We did not record our singing last night.....this recording is from my last album, Seen & Unseen: Songs from the Light of  Midlife.       Love, K

Death
© K Hannan 
Every fear, every war
'Just folks runnin' from  your door
Every poet sings your song
"Short time to be here, and a long time gone"

Short time to be here, and a long time gone
Short time to be here in this world
Well I walk beside you, I learn how to give
Death, Death, teach me how to live

Through our shining , through our toil
We stand rooted, rooted in your soil
Like the autumn fields of brown
We all rise up, and we will all lie down

Short time to be here, and a long time gone
Short time to be here in this world
Well I walk beside you, I learn how to give
Death, Death, teach me how to live
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