Our Lady of the Well

Listen while you read:  If you look for me, Maria . . .

It is a dance we do in silence
Far below this morning sun
You in your life, me in mine
We have begun
Here we stand and without speaking
Draw the water from the well
And stare beyond the plains
To where the mountains lie so still

But it's a long way that I have come
Across the sand to find this peace among your people in the sun
Where the families work the land as they have always done
Oh, it's so far the other way my country's gone

Across my home has grown the shadow
Of a cruel and senseless hand
Though in some strong hearts
The love and truth remain
And it has taken me this distance
And a woman's smile to learn
That my heart remains among them
And to them I must return

But it's a long way that I have come
Across the sand to find you here among these people in the sun
Where your children will be born
You'll watch them as they run
Oh, it's so far the other way my life has gone

If you look for me, Maria
You will find me in the shade
Wide awake or in a dream, it's hard to tell
If you come to me, Maria
I will show you what I've made
It's a picture for our lady of the well

~  Jackson Browne

I've had Hurricane Maria on my mind this morning. And with all apologies to Amy, MaryAnn, Beverly, Connie, and all my Broadway show-tune loving friends, I sure as hell was not going to do a post of "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?" This early Jackson Browne song, which appears on his second album, 1973's incredible For Everyman, came into my head because of the line which mentions Maria. And once again, I am compelled by the relevance of Jackson's songs to these days.

Jackson's inspiration for this song came from a group of friends who moved to Mexico to escape being drafted into the Vietnam War. Rolling Stone suggested that, in the lyrics, he places faith in the ritual and restorative powers of water, which is interesting to ponder as we anticipate yet another Category 5 hurricane. Talk about power. And so we look at the dichotomy of . . . well, of everything. Water nourishes and cleanses us, but it can also kill us. Perhaps the same can be said for all elements of nature. Sun and wind can provide warmth and energy, but they, too, can kill.

War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength. Seven decades later, Orwell's writing serves as commentary on our times. While I was typing the lyrics to "Our Lady of the Well," I was also half listening to the speech being delivered to the United Nations General Assembly by a man who, it turns out, does know how to read. (Fairly certain he did not write the speech, though.) Even in as serious a venue as the U.N. General Assembly, the Bully-in-Chief again referred to Kim Jong Un as "Rocket Man" as he threatened to "totally destroy North Korea."

Across my home has grown the shadow
Of a cruel and senseless hand
Though in some strong hearts
The love and truth remain

Stay focused, strong hearts. Resist.