Coping - A Video Project
Shut down, shut in, coping. Partly with the changes in my own life, but also recognizing the realities of the medical workers, police, fire departments, the people working hard so I can still have food, water, electricity, gas, news and the comforts of our home alive – all of them out in the open and facing the dangers I huddle from. Skipping the weird psychology involved in that, I want to offer up some light.
I’ve been spending gobs of time learning to use some music software so to help the band record more music. I’d originally written Invisible Fire as a birthday wish for my brother but as I was mulling over the idea to create a community video to share, the theme of the tune seemed increasingly appropriate to the global situation. I reached out to our media pages, I sent a request to our mailing list, something to the effect:
“Can you send me a picture or two of yourself, or you and your household, family, pets, imaginary friend, whatever you've got, in some way engaged in an activity that you use to cope with present challenges?”
I loved seeing all the images come in. Many of them from people I know well, many from folk I’ve met once, and still others from people I’ve never met. How beautiful though, that they were interested in making a contribution. The project is a small thing. It’s me (and you) trying to cope. Salute to all the folk out there who are keeping us safe, fed, comfortable, informed, and able to stay home in the first place. Here’s the video:
Here are the lyrics:
If invisible fire burns in you and in me
like the force in the sky moving wind and sea
then let the band play the tune sing the song
so that heaven hears the harmony
if we've run far too long for life and limb
marking time with love and with ink on skin
counting wins, little wins, little wins
born of hope and tears
If the sun brings us all through the dark to the dawn
We have won, we were strong
We have clung for so long
We have finally begun to feel this invisible fire.
If a wicked wind shall once more touch my face
If again shall shadow fall with shouts and shakes
Let me call upon the memory of this fight
this hard-sought victory
A million valleys and hills passed to test our steam
Now we walk in the light of a million seraphim
We have earned this breath, this right, this rest
this sweet, sweet, sweet scene
For the sun brought us all through the dark to the dawn
We are one, we are strong
We have come to the song
We have only begun to feel our invisible fire
Invisible fire
fire