Synposium

Jason Y. Sproul

A Safe Place to Land: The song of our anguished era

For every era, there is a song that in historical retrospective epitomizes that era. I wonder if Sara Bareilles has written that song for the late teens of the new millennium, when America seems to dangle from the precipice of its principles.

“A Safe Place To Land” (feat. John Legend)

When holding your breath is safer than breathing
When letting go is braver than keeping
When innocent words turn to lies
And you can’t hide by closing your eyes

When the pain is all that they offer
Like the kiss from the lips of monster
You know the famine so well, you never met the feast
And home is the belly of the beast

The ocean is wild and over your head
And the boat beneath you is sinking
Don’t need room for your bags
Hope is all that you have
So say the Lord’s prayer twice, hold your babies tight
Surely someone will reach out a hand
And show you a safe place to land

Imagine yourself in a building
Up in flames being told to stand still
The window’s wide open
This leap is on faith
You don’t know who will catch you
Maybe somebody will

The ocean is wild and over your head
And the boat beneath you is sinking
Don’t need room for your bags
Hope is all that you have
So say the Lord’s prayer twice, hold your babies tight
Surely someone will reach out a hand
And show you a safe place to land

Be the hand of a hopeful stranger
Little scared but you’re strong enough
Be the light in the dark of this danger
‘Til the sun comes up

Be the hand of a hopeful stranger
Little scared but you’re strong enough
Be the light in the dark of this danger
‘Til the sun comes up

Be the hand of a hopeful stranger
Little scared but you’re strong enough
Be the light in the dark of this danger
‘Til the sun comes up

Be the hand of a hopeful stranger
Little scared but you’re strong enough
Be the light in the dark of this danger
‘Til the sun comes up
‘Til the sun comes up
‘Til the sun comes up

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