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Iscariot

by Daniel J Townsend

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1.
There were twelve bonfires burning on the lawn Every disciple he had one and one alone There was one for Peter, there was one for John There was one for the betrayer and it stood upon its own Burn, burn, Judas burn slow Bright, bright burning, burning for the Lord Burn, burn, Judas burn slow Judas was a red-headed man It was a proper green smoke for all to see But the fire burned sweet for our Lord upon the tree Burn, burn, Judas burn slow Bright, bright burning, burning for the Lord Burn, burn, Judas burn slow Judas was a red-headed man Down by the marish they smoked away They smoked all night and they smoked all day Burn, burn, Judas burn slow Bright, bright burning, burning for the Lord Burn, burn, Judas burn slow Judas was a red-headed man There were twelve bonfires burning on the lawn There was one for the betrayer and it stood upon its own Burn, burn, Judas burn slow Bright, bright burning, burning for the Lord Burn, burn, Judas burn slow Judas was a red-headed man
2.
When I was a young man living by the sea I did love a young girl with everything in me One night as we were walking through the garden green There were cherries on the tree, full as may be seen Then she says unto me, gentle, meek and mild, “Gather me some cherries for I am with child.” I flew into a rage until I couldn’t see! “Let that baby’s father feed you cherries from the tree.”
3.
It fell upon one morning Upon bright holiday, Jesus asked his mother If he might go out to play. “Go play, my little one, go play. To play, pray get you gone, And let me hear of no complaint At night when you come home.” And so he went to yonder town, As far as the holy well, And there he met fine children As any tongue could tell “God bless you, every one, Your bodies save and see. Little children, shall I play with you And you shall play with me?” But they shouted at him, “No!” They were lords’ and ladies’ sons And he, the lowest of them all, Born a maiden’s child in an oxen’s stall. Jesus turned around, He neither laughed nor smiled, But the tears came trickling from his eyes Like water from the skies.
4.
Woe to me! In my misery, Night has now become to me a dark and moonless pain My tears receive, Thou who made the seas To give their waters to the clouds only to fall again Bend to me! My heart is filled with grief! I will kiss your feet and I will dry them with my hair O, my mother Eve Heard footsteps through the trees And naked ran and hid herself and cried in lonely fear Turn your eyes to view Your maiden before you; I know the hands of every other man within this room
5.
Forty days of desert, forty days of flood, An ocean made of sand and a promise made of blood We gave it all away for something more, But I can keep the peace no more I spent a thousand mornings mourning for our souls, Yearning for someone to come and make the part a whole I thought it might be you I’d waited for, But I can keep the peace no more Lead me through the wilderness and leave me in the sun Tell me you’re the King Of Everything, The Chosen One, Tell me that it’s you I must adore I can keep the peace no more. Another day of famine, another day of feast, Another day of wise men looking for you from the East The sun has long gone down on days of yore And I can keep the peace no more My sword is in my scabbard; my eye is on the crowd, My heart is in my chest and my feet are on the ground While you are getting lost amongst the poor I can keep my peace no more Walking on the water and drowning on the land, Feel the wind come blowing through the windows in your hands, Introduce the tax man to the whore?! Well, I can keep the peace no more Treasure in the soil, camel through the eye, Handshake in a temple and a lover’s kiss goodbye Bring not peace to me, just bring a sword I can keep the peace no more “Cursed is the man who hangs from a tree…” Thirty coins to buy a man a life of slavery; A symphony of silver on the floor I can keep the peace no more One sun is a-rising, One son is betrayed, One son flees the crowds and finds a quiet tree with shade Tie that rope to hold me strong and sure…
6.
My dearest dear, the time draws near When I and you must part And no one knows the inner grief Of my poor aching heart Or what I suffer for your sake, The one I love so dear I wish that I could go with you Or you could tarry here I wish your chest were made of glass And in it I might behold Your name in secret I would write In letters of bright gold Your name in secret I would write, Believe me what I say, You are the man that I’ll love best Until my dying day But when you’re on some distant shore, Think on your absent friend And when the wind blows high and clear, A line or two pray send And when the wind blows high and clear, Pray send it, love, to me That I may know by your hand-write How time has gone with thee
7.
It was a Holy Thursday when the carpenter arose Loving, kind and gentle were the words that he then spoke "Judas, go buy food. Thirty silver coins you’ll need And when you’re well upon your way, your kinsmen there you’ll meet." He came across his sister, who was better left alone "Judas, you are worthy that men killed you with stones.” “Be silent, my dear sister! May your heart break in two! If my lord could only hear your words, the stones would fly at you.” "My brother, lay down in my lap and sleep upon the stone." But when he wakened from his rest, the silver coins were gone He pulled himself by his hair, so that blood it bathed his head The Jews within Jerusalem all thought that he was mad Forth came a man of power, his fingers bright with rings "Would you sell your lord to me, for any shining thing?" "I’ll not for blood red rubies or for emeralds of green But for the thirty silver coins that he entrusted to me." In walked the lord as the disciples all sat down to eat “I am bought and sold today for the bread on which you feed.” "Am I that man?” spoke Judas. “I’ve not spoke evil of you, And I have always done exactly as you’ve asked me to.”
8.
Ubuntu 03:01
This is where love comes in and pain walks out And broken hearts turn into smiles And Mary holds her baby child While the angels dance up in the sky tonight I am waiting here for you Do you want me to? You pick me up; don’t let me down Like a deer runs for water, find me running Find me This is where love comes in and pain walks out And broken hearts turn into smiles And Mary holds her baby child While the angels dance up in the sky tonight Persecution, Constantine, Organisation, Reformation So, the people scatter Like a deer runs for water, find me running Find me!
9.
For two thousand years in this garden I’ve grown, My branches to many a sparrow a home Through autumn and spring, through sunlight and rain, I live and I die and I am born again One morning one mother went walking alone She carried no load but the loss of her son And under my branches, in the cool of my shade, She there met another, her son in the grave Their tongues got to talking, their tales they did tell, From babies to young men to sudden farewells Two women together, two sons and two tombstones, Too many years crying their tears on their own “How precious his birth, his first steps and first words, The songs he would sing and his prayers overheard ‘Look at the sparrows, o mother!’ he’d say While out in the meadow his brothers did play.” “I too know those joys,” her companion did sigh “From forts in the field to the sword by his thigh He spoke his own mind and he knew his own heart If you know where you’re going, you know who you are.” “They strung up my son on the outside of town. He hung in the air 'til he lay in the ground.” “My son was hanged, but with no-one around, It was three days before his dear body was found.” “My boy was a leader…” “My boy he was led…” And then in the silence, no more words were said For each mother knew by her story’s sad end The sons they’d thought strangers had once been called friends For two thousand years in this garden I’ve grown, My branches to many a sparrow a home Through autumn and spring, through sunlight and rain, We live and we die and we are born again
10.
I've got splinters in my hands Dirt within my skin like him Splinters in my hands

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released April 17, 2014

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Daniel J Townsend TAS, Australia

"A head full of stories, a soul old enough to have lived them, and a heart young enough to believe in their power to move us."

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