(Rivers are metaphors for change and time passing)
“Change is the law of life.”–John F. Kennedy
“Nothing is permanent but change.”–Heraclitus
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Whatever basic notions and understandings of self, life, and others begins with the fundamental, ongoing consciousness of change. This is the most basic backdrop to the processes, contexts, and choices of our lives, whatever they might be. There is always a need for individuals to respond to changes, and an implicit sense of limits and limitations that are embedded in changes.
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Changes
(a song lyric by the great Phil Ochs; top song ever written about change)
Sit by my side, come as close as the air,
Share in a mem’ry of grey,
And wander in my words,
And dream about the pictures that I play of changes.
Green leaves of summer turn red in the fall,
To brown and to yellow they fade;
And then they have to die, trapped within the
Circle time parade of changes.
Scenes of my young years were warm in my mind,
Visions of shadows that shine;
Till one day I returned and they were the
Victims of the vines of changes.
The world’s spinning madly, it drifts in the dark
Swings through a hollow of haze;
A race around the stars, a journey through the
Universe ablaze with changes.
Moments of magic will glow in the night.
All fears of the forest are gone;
But when the morning breaks, they’re swept away by
Golden drops of dawn of changes.
Passions will part to a strange melody
As fires will sometimes burn cold;
Like petals in the wind, we’re puppets to the
Silver strings of souls of changes.
Your tears will be trembling, now we’re somewhere else
One last cup of wine we will pour;
And I’ll kiss you one more time and leave you on the
Rolling river shores of changes.
(from his excellent collected songbook The War Is Over, Barricade Music, 1967)
Phil Ochs–The most overlooked genius of the 1960s folk-music era. The top personal consciousness of his time along with Bob Dylan and Paul Simon. I cannot say enough good things about Phil’s lyrics, songs, albums, and politics. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a good lyric, or who’s interested in honest social protest and witty social satire.