Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Provocation, Response (version 1)

August 4, 2014 by Janna Maria Happy

My response provoked by listening to the (sometimes vitriolic) dialog about the situation between Israel and Palestine.  My heart is sick at the loss of life and the seeming incapacity for some human beings to have empathy for other human beings.  You can hear the music at:

I am writing another version of this.  This one was written in 10 minutes on Thursday morning, July 31, 2014.

Provocation, Response.

Provocation. Response.
Provocation. Response.
Provocation. Response.

If you shout at me and I shout back,
Your ears will only hear the screaming.
If you shout at me and I reply in softness,
Your ears begin to hear the meaning.

I am a human being;
You are a human being;
We are both human beings.
We both bleed red.
We both cry blue.
In the mirror, you are my image.
Side by side, we are equals.

If I cage you into a corner,
Do you not cry out in anguish?
If I burn you with my iron fist,
Do you not strike back in fear?

An eye for an eye for an eye for an eye—
And we are all sightless.
A tooth for a tooth for a tooth for a tooth—
And we are all starving.

A yell is as good as a kick.
A shout is as good as a punch.
A whisper is as good as a handshake.
A song is as good as a door opening.

Shhh, listen. Shhh, listen. Shhh, listen. Shhh, listen.

Posted in Music, The World, Words | Leave a Comment »

Turnabout

July 23, 2014 by Janna Maria Happy

The world right now…as it ever was, with Israeli killing Palestinian and vice versa.  Yet, the whole issue is wrapped up in one side or the other denying the others’ humanity, and mostly one side with all the power denying the right of self-determination, the right to self-govern, and the right to be considered equal with full privileges.  I believe that we are all HUMAN BEINGS before we are any other thing.

Turnabout

Some think there is true left,
Some think there is true right.
Some think there is true wrong
Counteracted only by might.

Fate gives some a twist
When an alley brings a fist,
But such a turn with strife
May bring a turnabout in life.

Look behind the gun, the fist, the knife,
You will see countless generations rife
With toothless gums and blinded eyes,
With children’s cries and mothers’ sighs,

With peoples misused and women jeered
By private privilege abused or country’s coin revered.
When any one of us strips another of their spirit’s power,
Ugly destruction lies in the pain of a weapon’s shower:

Restoration’s beauty lies in the promise of forgiving–
And in allowing those different, those wounded, those troubled…
the loveliness of living.

Posted in The World, Words | Leave a Comment »

Wishing You a Happy Holiday — A Holiday Song

December 24, 2013 by Janna Maria Happy

A wish of love and light this holiday season, have a listen and enjoy!  Janna

https://soundcloud.com/janhapharp/wishing-you-a-happy-holiday

Wishing you a happy holiday

I’m wishing you a happy holiday
I’m wishing you a happy holiday
I’m wishing you a happy holiday
And a very merry new year.

They say it’s the season for tinsel and holly.
They say it’s the season to ever be jolly.
But sometimes I know
That it’s hard to find a place to go.
But you’re never too young or too old
To be welcomed inside from the cold.
So I’m hoping you’ll look to the light
Where love has opened doors in the night.

Posted in Music, Words | Tagged , , | Leave a Comment »

In the Backyard of Yesterday’s Dreams

September 10, 2013 by Janna Maria Happy

This is the song I’ve been trying to write about my mother, myself, and my daughter for a while now. Ten years ago, my favorite aunt and uncle, independently of each other, both confessed to me during holiday phone calls that my mother had been verbally and physically abused by her father. I always knew that my mother was “the black sheep” among her parents’ 11 children, so I was not surprised to hear this confession. I have performed this and have yet to record it. Remember as you read it, that my mother is Long Ago, I am Yesterday, and my daughter is Today. I am also the Supergirl who soared from rock to rock in the field behind the house we lived in when I was a young girl.

In the Backyard of Yesterday’s Dreams

In the backyard of Yesterday’s dreams,
Knowing she’s powerful and could never die,
Supergirl soars from one rock to another
Thinking “I can do anything and I can fly”,
And she’s just a little child.

Long-Ago Child cried at others’ pain,
Spoke out loud about things unseen,
A loud voice and a hard hand
Silenced the wondering and dammed in the dream,
Yet she’s just a little child.

Long-Ago Mother falls from a broken tree.
Long-Ago Mother speaks in kisses and screams.
Yet Yesterday’s Child finally gets to be free
for Long-Ago Mother fosters Yesterday’s dreams,
For she’s just a little child.

My visions take me to worlds in the stars.
My arms carry me as a winged lioness.
My voice commands both villains and victors.
I can do anything and I can fly, I can fly, I can fly…
And I’m just a little child, who is becoming a mother.

My breast a soft pillow under her head–
Poetry of the heart is a gentle beat.
For my own baby, no hurt, no dread.
Poetry of the heart is a smile so sweet,
For she’s just a little child.

Today’s Child has justified visions,
Speaks of healing the scratches from screams.
A soft voice and a tender touch
Welcomes her wondering and delights in her dreams,
For she’s just a little child.

In the backyard of Yesterday’s dreams,
Knowing she’s powerful and could never die,
Supergirl soars from one rock to another,
Thinking, “I can do anything and I can fly.”
And she’s just a little child.

Posted in Motherhood, Music, Words | 1 Comment »

You Are The Comfort

September 10, 2013 by Janna Maria Happy

This is a song about old tried-and-true love. About the comfort of warm arms that feel like home. This one is for the man I’m married to.

You Are The Comfort

My cheek has worn a dent in the crook of your arm
From where I lay beside you at night.
And your heart has set a melody in my soul
Written by your arms that hold me tight.

You are the comfort of my night.
You are the hello of my day.
You are the strength I keep in sight.
I am the love that’s here to stay.

Your arm has worn a dent in the small of my back
From where you hold me close in our bed.
And my kiss has sung a lullaby in your ear
From where my mouth breathes love upon your head.

You are the comfort of my night.
You are the hello of my day.
You are the strength I keep in sight.
I am the love that’s here to stay.

For the laughter of the years and the comfort through the tears
Have been our loving testament to life.
And I couldn’t let you down no matter what comes round
For you’ve been at my back through storm and strife.

My cheek has worn a dent in the crook of your arm
From where I lay beside you at night.
And your heart has set a melody in my soul
Written by your arms that hold me tight.

You are the comfort of my night.
You are the hello of my day.
You are the strength I keep in sight.
I am the love that’s here to stay.

Posted in Music, Words | Leave a Comment »

This is my hometown…it’s the world’s hometown

April 19, 2013 by Janna Maria Happy

Boston is my hometown, in my homeland, and in my world, in the world we share with so many, whether at the time of the Boston Marathon, or any other day of the year.  If you have been affected by the bombing on April 15, 2013 at the Marathon and you need some healing, may this song help you. The Soundcloud link is below if you wish to listen.

5/15/13 I felt the need to add a third verse and change the chorus. I’ve given much thought to the fact that we need stronger networks that provide support for those in need, whether for those who become victims OR for those who become perpetrators–in other words, we need the networks to prevent the explosions. And this holds true whether it’s those who commit mass mayhem or those who are killing the disenfranchised one by one in our inner city. All of us need to be listened to, to be heard, to have a voice, to have someone notice us when we are down or downtrodden.

So, I have changed the chorus as well…I need to re-record this with the new verse and chorus. Will have to wait for a bit…hopefully within the next few days! In solidarity,

7/2/13

Went to a songwriters’ group in early June and after some good comments, I’ve made some more changes–still haven’t made a new recording

7/23/13

I’ve added an intro to the song. And I finally got to do a new recording.

This is my hometown…It’s the world’s hometown

On April fifteen of twenty-thirteen
Two blasts occurred in Boston.
Some people died and many were maimed
And we asked who’s to blame, in Boston.

And we were so mad and we felt so sad
Trapped in our homes in Boston.
And I sat down to write this song
To say what I feel in Boston…

This is my home town.
This is your home town.
And we’re all in this together.
This is our home town.
It’s the world’s home town.
And we’re all in this as one.

I can’t believe you’ve done this,
I can’t believe it at all.
There is no real good reason
To make this kind of call.
And all I’ll want to ask you,
If ever (I get the time.) YOU GET TO HEAR
Is why, why, why, and why?
(When there’s no reason or rhyme) .
YOU WANTED TO CAUSE US SUCH FEAR
For…

I can believe we’ll get through this,
Yes, I can believe that for sure.
For there’s lots and lots of reasons
And we’ll help each other endure.
And we’ll ask a lot of each other,
And we’ll all try to find a way.
For we know why, why, why, and why,
And plenty of folks that can say…

I wanna believe we give a damn
I wanna know we care from the heart
But there’s been too many seasons
The WORLD’s been torn apart.
We need to learn to listen
to SOULS WHOSE NETS are frayed.
We must ask why, why, why, why,
Not all of us feel they can say…

This is my hometown.
This is your hometown.
And we’re all in this together
This is our hometown.
It’s the world’s hometown.
And we’re all in this as one.

https://soundcloud.com/janhapharp/this-is-my-hometown-preamble

Posted in Music, Words | Leave a Comment »

Forgiveness

January 10, 2013 by Janna Maria Happy

An effort at such, anyway…two years after Betrayal.

Forgiveness

Trying, trying, trying
to forgive,
to keep my heart open.

I don’t know where, what, who you really are.

I cannot forget what you did.
But, I do not think of it every day or most days.

I admit that you are a human being.
And I know that
all humans need love,
all humans need forgiveness from and for.

I cannot give you love,
but I know that you should have it.

I forgive the frailty that is the feeble body.
I forgive the weakness that is the wounded mind.
I forgive the sickness that is the shattered soul.

But these I will always know:
some did not reach out to question or console;
some followed when they could have led;
some were afraid to ask.

The worst were simply evil in the guise of benevolent power.
Narcissus has nothing on you.

Most importantly, I forgive myself.

Posted in Words | Leave a Comment »

Oh Daddy, You Are My Rock!

January 1, 2013 by Janna Maria Happy

Last song I wrote in 2012.  Freshly recorded in 2013.  Written for my husband, but the inspiration was a pop song by a boy band.  Here’s the text and below is the SoundCloud link:

Oh Daddy, You Are My Rock!

Oh daddy, Oh daddy, Oh daddy
You are, you are, you are, you are my rock.

Your kiss is sweetest wine That makes me feel divine
Your skin is softest fur That makes me gently purr
Your love’s the rarest pearl That rightly rocks my world
You are, you are, you are, you are my rock!

Your touch is cooling river That makes my soul to shiver
Your arms are soft embrace That makes my heart to race
Your eyes are deepest thought That makes my passion hot
You are, you are, you are, you are my rock!

Talking, sighing, kissing, twining, Ooh, Ooh, Ooh, Ooh.

We love, we kiss, we talk You are my gentle rock
I love your honey voice I had no other choice
Because you bear me whole For you I bare my soul
You are, you are, you are, you are my rock.

Posted in Music, Words | Leave a Comment »

Pretty Voice Blues

September 23, 2012 by Janna Maria Happy

This one is dedicated to my dad, Paul Frelich, who passed away last Sunday…this was one of the last verses I read to him.   Inspired by two men, one a friend who said I need to sing like the experienced woman that I am.  And the other was a choir director who wanted me to sound like an English choir boy. Oh jeez…

Pretty Voice Blues

Pretty voice blues got me singing this song.
Up high and not low seems the sound may be wrong.

Man done told me my voice is too nice;
You gotta salt that sugar with some heat and spice.

Another man told me to keep the tone straight,
But a boy soprano ain’t been my fate. 

Trained tone blahs got me singin’ this ditty.
Can you sing the blues if your voice is too pretty?

Well,  I’m a strong, grown woman and I’ve paid my dues,
Yet I got me a pretty voice singin’ the blues;
Yes, I got me a pretty voice singin’ the blues!

Posted in Music, Words | Leave a Comment »

I’ll make my love a breast of glass

September 7, 2012 by Janna Maria Happy

My Celtic ensemble has a favorite waltz entitled “I’ll make my love a breast of glass”.    The tune is quite pretty, but came with no words.  We found a discussion online of some traditional lyrics, which have a theme of giving your true love a glass breast within which the lover can see your heart beating truly “for you”.  I decided to write my own lyrics though, using that basic concept but including my idea about a “magic bird”.  This one is dedicated to my husband, who once had dark hair.

I’m reposting with an additional 2nd verse.  9/14/12 — reposting again with a final verse.

I’ll make my love a breast of glass

I’ll make my love a breast of glass
Mirrored in which will be my heart.
This heart will ring like mellow brass
To soothe my love when we’re apart.

“Take care, my love, with your strong hand
So not to break that fragile breast
For if it cracks you’ll crush my heart
And I shall shatter with no rest.”

I’ll send my love a magic bird
Whose song will sound my tender thought.
Her wings will quiver a soft caress
In his strong hand when her he’s caught.

There in her beak be my golden braid
And twined within my soul, my voice.
My words will be a melody:
A pledge of love to him, my choice.

She’ll give my love my shining hair
He’ll twine therein his own true soul
With his dark locks among the light
And make of two a single whole.

“Now you, my love, have placed your heart
Inside that breast along with mine;
And like two flowers in a garden
They grow together side by side.”

HeartSoulVoice ensemble performing this in February 2017

Posted in Music, Words | Leave a Comment »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »