1) Giant Wagon Wheel

I don’t know what I thought I knew

When I see your face

The fire starts dying, stones start flying

You breathe and wreck the place

In your eyes there’s a rusty mirror

Where the past disappears

While the song of this single desire

Keeps ringing in my ears

I’m trying to walk beside

A giant wagon wheel

Take it slow, I’ve got to follow

Now that I know

Your love is all that’s real

I don’t want what I thought I wanted

Three lights on a string

The water turns pearly, spring busts out early

You breathe and change everything

In your eyes there is widespread movement 

Where a new shape appears

While the song of this single desire

Keeps ringing in my ears

I’m trying to walk beside

A giant wagon wheel

Take it slow, I’ve got to follow

Now that I know

Your love is all that’s real

2) The Subject Tonight 

Change rooms in your mind for a day

Give your senses a little nudge

Let passion dance the doubt away

The subject tonight is love

Let your truth forsake its shyness

Sweet music is quite enough

To awaken her royal highness

The subject tonight is love

Let the light split you wide open

Sow seeds in your fruitful plain

Let love be the word unspoken

To sooth your sorrow and heal your pain

Let us sing of the priceless secret

Lift the liquid ruby-light in a cup

The treasure is ours, we can keep it

The subject tonight is love

3) Mimosa Tree

Can I make myself as strong and sweet as the mimosa tree?

Fragrant and pink, blowing in the breeze

Can I endure another winter, another spring?

My heart is melting, my ground is giving

I hold my face between my hands

To keep my soul from leaving 

I have everything I need, and we can weather anything

SEE THROUGH THE EYES OF COMPASSION 

SPEAK WITH THE LANGUAGE OF LOVE

SEE THROUGH THE EYES OF COMPASSION

SPEAK WITH THE LANGUAGE OF LOVE

We can withhold the love we have, as if we’ve never tasted

Dreaming in grayscale, starving and wasted

Why do we wait until our deathbeds to say these things?

Our time is fleeting…our hearts stop beating…

I hold my face between my hands 

To keep my soul from leaving

How can I make my self as strong and sweet as the mimosa tree?

How can I make myself as strong and sweet as the mimosa tree?

SEE THROUGH THE EYES OF COMPASSION 

SPEAK WITH THE LANGUAGE OF LOVE

SEE THROUGH THE EYES OF COMPASSION

SPEAK WITH THE LANGUAGE OF LOVE

4) The Energy Left

If I keep on keeping score

Of who’s right and wrong and who owes who

I won’t have energy left to love you

If I keep on looking for

A reason to doubt all the things you do

I won’t have energy left

I won’t have energy left to love you

The moon and the stars 

            throw a party every night

But I’ve got to keep my eyes open to see the sight

If I keep on dividing God

Into what I believe is false and true

I won’t have energy left

I won’t have energy left

I won’t have energy left to love you

[INSTRUMENTAL]

The planets serenade me, whirling in the sky

I miss it when I close my tired eyes

If I keep on dividing God

Into what I believe is false and true

I won’t have energy left 

I won’t have energy left

I won’t have energy left to love you

5) I Declare

I looked in the alley behind the bar

I looked in the firepit in the park

I looked in every unlikely place, 

            still there you are

I declare – the friend is everywhere

I declare – the friend is everywhere

I looked in to my rival’s eyes

I looked beyond the swindler’s lies

I looked at my enemy but it was you in disguise

I declare – the friend is everywhere

I declare – the friend is everywhere

At Sunday school, at the drunken brawl

Where the angels soar and the sinners crawl

In the kum-by-ya, in the coup d’etat

In the first place finish, in the worst faux pas

I looked in the light, I looked in the dark

I tore that grandfather clock apart

I looked all around until you finally whispered 

            in my heart

I declare – the friend is everywhere 

I declare – the friend is everywhere

[INSTRUMENTAL]

At Sunday school, at the drunken brawl

Where the angels soar and the sinners crawl

In the kum-by-ya, in the coup d’etat

In the first place finish, in the worst faux pas

I looked in the light, I looked in the dark

I tore that grandfather clock apart

I looked all around until you finally whispered 

            in my heart

I declare – the friend is everywhere

I declare – the friend is everywhere

6) Votes For Dancing

Come what may I refuse to be afraid

Or to feel betrayed or breed messages of hate

I can turn it off, I can walk away

I cast all my votes for dancing

Know some day that we’ll all look back and say

How it all seems strange and so very for away

Don’t just turn it off, don’t just walk away

And cast all your votes for dancing

[Instrumental]

Squeeze drops of sun 

            from the glance of your beloved

From the slightest little movements of your body

Do your best to spread some joy 

            to every girl and boy

Cast all your votes for dancing

Squeeze drops of the sun 

            from your work and play and music

Reveal the fun, in your everyday things

Reject the counterfeit coins, 

            do your best to spread some joy

Cast all your votes for dancing

What we speak becomes the house we live in

Who’ll want to sleep in your house 

            if the roof leaks

The moon covers her face with both hands

And can’t bear to look, no, no, no, no

With everything love is the answer

Raise your voice, love is the answer

Only one choice, love is the answer

Sweet love, deep love, real love 

Pour every drop of you 

            into your work and life and music

Do it well, give ‘em hell, raise your voice

When it’s all said and done, 

            don’t forget to have some fun

Cast all your votes, cast all your votes

Cast all your votes for dancing

7) Still Trying To Find You

The clover damp with morning dew

The horizon turns from black to blue

Ancient love made soft and new

I’m still trying to find you

I’m still trying to find you

You’re just to my left, half hiding

Or just to the right of these words we’re writing

The hearth hard to light, the cup hard to fill

When you move so fast and stand so still

The clover damp with morning dew

The horizon turns from black to blue

Ancient love made soft and new

I’m still trying to find you

I’m still trying to find you

You silently slip into my pocket

Or through the gate. We forgot to lock it

Or in that vacant room in my mind

When I want you most, you’re most hard to find

The clover damp with morning dew

The horizon turns from black to blue

Ancient love made soft and new

I’m still trying to find you

I’m still trying to find you

8) Hot Bath 

Somebody draw me a hot bath

I’m not ready to jump in the fire

Let the water bring the message to my skin

Take the temperature a little bit higher

Butter me a piece of that brown bread

Pour me a little sip of wine

Someday I’ll sit and eat the whole loaf

But today one slice is fine

Without my body we’d all be blinded

By the light I carry within

So I’ll smile and give y’all a little look

And keep the rest tucked under my skin

Sometimes you know I tell the whole truth

Sometimes you know I’m a liar

Somebody draw me a hot bath

I’m not ready to jump in the fire

I’m not ready to jump in the fire

9) What We Do

We wake up empty

We wake up scared

We’re up not knowing what to do

Don’t search for answers

Don’t read a book

Don’t turn to check the news

Let’s pick up a guitar and play

Open our ruby lips and sing a tune

Today, like every other day

Let the beauty we love be what we do

We wake up hungry

We wake up sad

We’re up with trouble all around

Music reminds us

Of hundreds of ways

To kneel and kiss the ground

Let’s pick up a guitar and play

Open our ruby lips and sing a tune

Today, like every other day

Let the beauty we love be what we do

10) The Universe Lies Within

Miles of untouched forest

Endless rows of fruit trees

Mounds of precious diamonds

Emeralds, pearls and rubies

Seven shining oceans

A million magic potions

Listen to me, my friend

The universe lies within

A thousand singing children

One never-ending song

The power to make the masses

Stop and sing along

Majestic snow-capped mountains

So many stars you can’t count ‘em

Listen to me, my friend

The universe lies within

Within this earthen vessel

Every color, each vibration

Within this earthen vessel

Creator and creation

The tears of every mother

The smile on every face

The ever-changing journey

The final resting place

The one revolving story

The power and the glory

Listen to me, my friend

The universe lies within

1) Giant Wagon Wheel

“A GREAT WAGON”                                                   Rumi/Coleman Barks

            When I see your face, the stones start spinning!

            You appear; all studying wanders. 

            I lose my place.

            Water turns pearly. 

            Fire dies down and doesn’t destroy.

            In your presence I don’t want what I thought 

            I wanted, those three little hanging lamps.

            Inside your face the ancient manuscripts

            seem like rusty mirrors. 

            You breathe; new shapes appear,

            and the music of a desire as widespread

            as spring begins to move 

            like a great wagon.

            Drive slowly. Some of us 

            walking alongside are lame.

2) The Subject Tonight 

“THE SUBJECT TONIGHT IS LOVE”                          Hafiz/Ladinsky

            The subject tonight is love

            And for tomorrow night as well,

            As a matter of fact

            I know of no better topic

            For us to Discuss

            Until we all

            Die!

3) Mimosa Tree

“FOR WARMTH”                                            Thich Nhat Hanh
(written after the bombing of Ben Tre, during the Vietnam War)           

            I hold my face in my two hands.
            No, I am not crying.
            I hold my face in my two hands
            to keep the loneliness warm –
            two hands protecting,
            two hands nourishing,
            two hands preventing
            my soul from leaving me
            in anger.

                                                                                    Jalaluddin Rumi

            “Listen with ears of tolerance! 

            See through the eyes of compassion! 

            Speak with the language of love”

4) The Energy Left

“DIVIDING GOD”                                                        Hafiz/Ladinsky

            The moon starts singing 

            When everyone is asleep

            And planets throw a bright robe

            Around their shoulders and whirl up

            Close to her side.

            Once I asked the moon,

            “Why do you and your sweet friends

            Not perform so romantically like that

            To a bigger crowd?”

            And the whole sky chorus resounded,

            “The admission price to hear

            The lofty minstrels

            Speak of love

            Is affordable only to those

            Who have not exhausted themselves

            Dividing God all day

            And thus need rest

            The thrilled Tavern fiddlers

            Who are perched on the roof

            Do not want their notes to intrude

            Upon the ears

            Where an accountant lives

            With a sharp pencil

            Keeping score of words

            Another

            In their great sorrow or sad anger

            May have once said to you.”

            Hafiz knows:

            The sun will stand as your best man

            And whistle

            When you have found the courage

            To marry forgiveness

            When you have found the courage

            To marry Love

5) I Declare

“EVERYWHERE”                                                        Hafiz/Ladinsky

            Running

            Through the streets

            Screaming,

            Throwing rocks through windows

            Using my own head to ring

            Great bells

            Pulling out my hair,

            Tearing off my clothes,

            Tying everything I own

            To a stick,

            And setting it on

            Fire

            What else can Hafiz do tonight

            To celebrate the madness,

            The Joy,

            Of seeing God

            Everywhere

6) Votes For Dancing

“CAST ALL YOUR VOTES FOR DANCING”               Hafiz/Ladinsky

            I know the voice of depression

            Still calls to you.

            I know those habits that can ruin your life

            Still send their invitations.

            But you are with the Friend now

            And look so much stronger.

            You can stay that way

            And even bloom!

            Keep squeezing drops of the Sun

            From your prayers and work and music

            And from your companions' beautiful laughter. 

            Keep squeezing drops of the Sun

            From the sacred hands and glance of your Beloved

            And, my dear, 

            From the most insignificant movements 

            Of your own holy body.

            Learn to recognize the counterfeit coins

            That may buy you just a moment of pleasure, 

            But then drag you for days

            Like a broken man

            Behind a farting camel.

            You are with the Friend now.

            Learn what actions of yours delight Him,

            What actions of yours bring freedom

            And Love.

            Whenever you say God's name, dear pilgrim,

            My ears wish my head was missing 

            So they could finally kiss each other

            And applaud all your nourishing wisdom!

            O keep squeezing drops of the Sun 

            From your prayers and work and music

            And from your companions' beautiful laughter

            And from the most insignificant movements

            Of your own holy body.

            Now, sweet one,

            Be wise.

            Cast all your votes for Dancing!

“COVERS HER FACE WITH BOTH HANDS”             Hafiz/Ladinsky

            What we speak becomes the house we live in.

            Who will want to sleep in your bed

            If the roof leaks right above it?

            Look what happens when the tongue

            Cannot say to kindness,

            “I will be your slave.”

            The moon covers her faces with both hands

            And can’t bear to look.

8) Still Trying To Find You

            (No particular poem. Inspired by Rumi’s love and longing for Shams)

9) What We Do

                                                 Rumi/Coleman Barks

            Today, like every other, we wake up empty 

            and frightened. Don’t open the door to the study 

            and begin reading. Take down a musical instrument.

            Let the beauty we love be what we do.

            There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.

10) The Universe Lies Within                      Kabir

             Within this earthen vessel are bowers and groves, 

             And within it is the Creator:
 

              Within this vessel are the seven oceans 

              And the unnumbered stars.

              The touchstone and the jewel-appraiser are within;

              And within this vessel the Eternal soundeth, 

                        and the spring wells up.

              Kabir says: “Listen to me, my Friend! 

              My beloved Lord is within.”