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Prince of Freedom

from Broken Rhymes by Nedjo Blake

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lyrics

From unknown westward counties he appeared, a blaze of rhyme,
a ragged voice that echoed through the twisting strands of time.
With angel fire his lines assailed the authors of all crime
and someone cried, “Is he a prince of freedom?”

With driftwood steps he wandered, a minstrel of the rain
and called the tunes of visions that were flashing through his brain.
With lightning tongue he traced the arcs of ecstasy and pain
and named the stars, as if a prince of freedom.

Now in his path a crowd arose to praise him as a king.
They mouthed his words as judgements for the echos they would bring.
“To lead our rebel army ranks, you only have to sing
and claim your rightful throne as prince of freedom.”

But he recalled a letter from a friend he used to know
and longed for empty highways where the vagrant stormclouds blow.
He mumbled in the microphone, “There’s someplace I must go.
I never claimed to be some prince of freedom.”

Now the crowds grew angry and trailed him without pause.
They cursed him as a traitor to every aim and cause.
“You’ve turned your back on history and all her shining laws.
Don’t come to us except as prince of freedom.”

“I don’t who you’re seeking, but I have no such powers of speech.
The visions that flow through me are not something I could teach.
And anyway, what’s true or false looks differently to each.
Look somewhere else to find your prince of freedom.”

As silk too often washed, the rainbow regiments wore thin.
The bard moved to a rhythm that he only heard within.
But still at night he’ll hum the fiery lines he used to spin
in days when he was praised as prince of freedom.

credits

from Broken Rhymes, released April 4, 2014
by Nedjo Blake

Vocals and guitar: Nedjo Blake
Guitar: Mike Demers
Drums: Mark Roth
Arranged and engineered by Mike Demers

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Nedjo Blake British Columbia

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