CHANCE LEFT BEHIND

(by Benjamin Chapman & Michael Lehr)

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Benjamin Chapman posted these lyrics to the CSO list back in 2003, and I found them quite inspiring although intriguingly enigmatic.

He’d initially written them as a song, but then turned them back into a poem. After discussion he let me try the reverse process.

There aren’t many significant changes from the poem set out at the bottom, except that the first four lines of the fourth verse of the original have become a chorus, with the final two lines as a tag/coda at the end.

I guess I always wanted to write a song with a “Bo Diddley” rhythm, so this is my offering! I rather like it.

An MP3 (3.1 Mb) can be listened to or downloaded by clicking here.

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Lyrics (Benjamin Chapman adapted)

V1.
I danced a jig with Father Time,
although I knew that He could fly.
He left me stranded and confused,
longing for home and searching for clues
to shed some light on what I’d found:
lonely, and wishing for the ground.

V2.
A voice spoke once within my dreams,
and said the Way has many seams.
It’s pieced together through and through,
but still connected by the truth:
the thread that runs through everyone,
can lead us all back to the Son.

Chorus:
Perhaps the chance is left behind,
lost in the rush of modern times.
and our sweet wishes won’t be found
unless we turn our hearts around.

V3.
I held the sights within my mind,
and wondered if we’ll ever find
the strength to rise from selfish things
and wake to joy that life can bring.
I weep for days torn from our grasp;
knowing too well time flies so fast.
I weep for days torn from our grasp;
knowing too well time flies so fast.

Chorus:
Perhaps the chance is left behind,
lost in the rush of modern times.
and our sweet wishes won’t be found
unless we turn our hearts around.

Coda:
Or memories of mistakes we made
will be with us like pouring rain.
(repeat)


Original Lyrics (Benjamin Chapman)

I danced a jig with Father Time,
although I knew that He could fly.
He left me stranded and confused,
longing for Home and searching for clues
to shed some light on what I’d found:
lonely, and wishing for the ground.

A voice spoke once within my dream,
and said the Way has many seams.
it’s pieced together through and through,
but still, connected by the Truth:
the thread that runs through everyone,
will lead us all to the Sun.

Holding the sights within my mind,
I wonder when we’ll ever find
the strength to rise from selfish things
and wake to joy that life can bring.
I weep for days torn from our grasp;
knowing too well, Time flys so fast.

Perhaps the chance is left behind;
lost in the rush of modern times.
all our sweet wishes won’t be found
unless we turn our hearts around.
Else the memory of mistakes we made
will be with us like pouring rain.


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