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Ashes or Gold (September)

from the Solitary Songs by Miriam Jones

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lyrics

LYRICS

when the promised fire falls
on our heads and on everything we know
it shall be made plain, the worth of it all
burned to ashes or refined to gold

when my life is repossessed
and the truth, shines her light into the hold
all I have done, cursed and blessed
will burn to ashes or be refined to gold

if I don’t love you life is worthless and nothing will remain of it
when my time is over what will I show for it, I will not escape from this

I know well the force of myself
but the selfish will be turned out in the cold
yes all I have been for anyone else
will burn to ashes or be refined to gold

you may have, or have nothing at all
but in the end all the homeless will come home
and where your heart is, what you've loved above all
will burn to ashes or be refined to gold

on that day sudden and great
this whole world, worn and tired, torn and old
will be set alight, a new kingdom made
on top of the ashes from the finest gold

NOTES

It’s been a busy couple of months, and I was a little concerned my creative juices might leave me high and dry as a result - it’s sometimes difficult to make emotional space in the midst of a ‘gigging season’(there’s a reason why bands usually tour for a chunk, then write and record fo another), and I seem to be in one that I didn’t predict - great, but I’m a little dizzy from focusing on so many different modes.
I sat down and wrote at various points in August, and came up with some things but nothing that really stayed with me. I didn’t begin this song until a couple of days before Jez and I headed to Greenbelt for the long weekend that just went by, and as often happens to me, it kicked off while I was walking. I’ve learned over the past however many years of growing myself as a writer that walking alone and in wild or at least green spaces is essential for me in hearing ideas, so when I’m coming up against a deadline, not only do I have to make time for sitting down with my guitar and hammering out musical lines, but more importantly I need to go on walking adventures. Maybe it’s the rhythm of the physical movement, or perhaps it’s the room above my head that let’s things out - I reckon it’s probably both.
I don’t think there’s too much else to say about this song, really - it’s not so cryptic as Helicopter - I guess I would just say that there is both so much dross in this world, and so much beauty (something we all know), but it’s the beautiful that is helping to build the new heavens and the new earth (so some of us believe). Although my capacity to behave badly toward others is monumental, and my stewardship of what is given me imperfect, I long for my life to be defined by the lovely, by sacrifice.

credits

from the Solitary Songs, released April 1, 2009

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Miriam Jones Victoria, British Columbia

Management: miriamjones.tumblr.com/contact

"Quite apart from that this album is extraordinary on its own merits there are few artists willing to expose their talents to such a sparse instrumental background, and you need to listen to it and discover its beauty for yourself."
- Tim Martin, FATEA Magazine
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