CORRECT LYRICS
Lyrics : Collectively Counting
Counting numbers is a functional kind of meditation, a distraction in this state of isolation
Let's make a decision to count to ten together and find a way to weather this hibernation
One
How many days has it been?
Have you found a new routine?
Have you lost opportunities?
New possibilities?
New faith in our authorities or still the same old anxieties?
How heartened are you by the charity found in our communities?
Two
How many are trying to catch our collective breath?
Bereft of touch, on House Party drinking too much
How many are drinking alone?
Would feel safer alone?
How many are on the latest death toll?
how many comparative charts do we need to console us
Three
How many expect an impending baby boom?
Something to look forward to amongst the gloom
How many Zoom downloads? Jobs furloughed?
How many had to look up the meaning of that word?
Four
How many businesses with their backs against the wall?
Yet how many expected that welcome, unexpected phone call?
A break in the rent, a preorder, we're in this together, we're all accountable
How many are reevaluating what's reasonable?
Five
How many have discovered creativity?
Learned the value of art and opened up to their own sensitivity
Baked bread to find some normality
Yet how many are still privately privileged in this captivity?
How much increased capacity on Daft.ie due to the decline of Airbnb?
How many epiphanies?
Six
How many unflinching journalists will be the catalysts to cut through the populist rhetoric?
How many idealists, realists wrap themselves in the flag, at a time of distress?
How many care workers, or those in nursing home care will be redressed?
Seven
How many clap for the front line while sharpening their knives?
How many comply to save lives?
How many hospital tiers?
Slainte to your health but slán to your wealth
How many facing fears?
How much politicking is still done with stealth?
How many hands washed?
Scars are being masked?
Sanitizer sought? Which disaster capital brought
Eight
How many attempted suicides?
Heavy hearts
Praying to God, I hear a light heart lives longest, maireann croí éadrom i bhfad
How many cherished yet died for this old sod?
How many get by with a wink and a nod?
Nine
How many aftermaths?
New abnormals?
Fish in Venetian canals?
How much collateral damage is within the rational?
How many great mornings and mourning greatly?
How many memorials?
How many air miles and carbon footprints saved? Which implies rescue.
They say this is tough and aren't you?
Ten
How many leavings certs lost?
How much will the college courses cost?
How many sporting occasions, festival gatherings and built up emotions need to be unleashed?
How many empty streets, full coffins, open calls, closed business, quick fixes, slow downs, stillness, in this?
To what we bore witness
How much hope, resilience, reconnection, comfort and thanks?
How many?
How much?
How hard to quantify!
How many collectively counting numbers that are people's names?
Which gives meaning to our lives
How many found reason to notice the seasonal change and the weeping cherry blossoms blooming?
How many were humbled by their beauty?
As collectively we wait for their petals to scatter, to fall all across Ireland and gather on our streets and lonely lanes
A sort of slow washing again of our pains, on the living and the dead
How many will find healing when all has been said?
One thing the distance has exposed, our hearts need to be close not closed
Hope that's alright
Let's make a decision to count to ten together and find a way to weather this hibernation
One
How many days has it been?
Have you found a new routine?
Have you lost opportunities?
New possibilities?
New faith in our authorities or still the same old anxieties?
How heartened are you by the charity found in our communities?
Two
How many are trying to catch our collective breath?
Bereft of touch, on House Party drinking too much
How many are drinking alone?
Would feel safer alone?
How many are on the latest death toll?
how many comparative charts do we need to console us
Three
How many expect an impending baby boom?
Something to look forward to amongst the gloom
How many Zoom downloads? Jobs furloughed?
How many had to look up the meaning of that word?
Four
How many businesses with their backs against the wall?
Yet how many expected that welcome, unexpected phone call?
A break in the rent, a preorder, we're in this together, we're all accountable
How many are reevaluating what's reasonable?
Five
How many have discovered creativity?
Learned the value of art and opened up to their own sensitivity
Baked bread to find some normality
Yet how many are still privately privileged in this captivity?
How much increased capacity on Daft.ie due to the decline of Airbnb?
How many epiphanies?
Six
How many unflinching journalists will be the catalysts to cut through the populist rhetoric?
How many idealists, realists wrap themselves in the flag, at a time of distress?
How many care workers, or those in nursing home care will be redressed?
Seven
How many clap for the front line while sharpening their knives?
How many comply to save lives?
How many hospital tiers?
Slainte to your health but slán to your wealth
How many facing fears?
How much politicking is still done with stealth?
How many hands washed?
Scars are being masked?
Sanitizer sought? Which disaster capital brought
Eight
How many attempted suicides?
Heavy hearts
Praying to God, I hear a light heart lives longest, maireann croí éadrom i bhfad
How many cherished yet died for this old sod?
How many get by with a wink and a nod?
Nine
How many aftermaths?
New abnormals?
Fish in Venetian canals?
How much collateral damage is within the rational?
How many great mornings and mourning greatly?
How many memorials?
How many air miles and carbon footprints saved? Which implies rescue.
They say this is tough and aren't you?
Ten
How many leavings certs lost?
How much will the college courses cost?
How many sporting occasions, festival gatherings and built up emotions need to be unleashed?
How many empty streets, full coffins, open calls, closed business, quick fixes, slow downs, stillness, in this?
To what we bore witness
How much hope, resilience, reconnection, comfort and thanks?
How many?
How much?
How hard to quantify!
How many collectively counting numbers that are people's names?
Which gives meaning to our lives
How many found reason to notice the seasonal change and the weeping cherry blossoms blooming?
How many were humbled by their beauty?
As collectively we wait for their petals to scatter, to fall all across Ireland and gather on our streets and lonely lanes
A sort of slow washing again of our pains, on the living and the dead
How many will find healing when all has been said?
One thing the distance has exposed, our hearts need to be close not closed
Hope that's alright
