Farewell
June-August 2019, Gibson Chase-Pinkney

I
Farewell. Brother of mine
I hope the fortunes favor you
It’s all as well, We’ll probably do fine
Now that the Junta pulled off that coup

II
And Grandma and Uncle Jose
Grow more dependent every day
So though it’d be swell,To escape from this hell,
I have people to feed, while you run away

II
Abandon the place you were born,
It’s too risky, unstable and war-torn
You went to our schools,
But you’re no simple fool,
Just leave us  to cry and to mourn,

III
Vuelve a nosotros, dear brother of mine
You force me to beg and to plead
Our children are living on gristle and rind
While the general gets what the general needs

I
Breadlines are starting to form
People push past the old and weak
We don’t know whether to search or  to mourn
For those disappeared while we were asleep

II
And still, I feel I can’t go
For all the dependants I know
So I hope it feels great To leave our poor state
And go to the people who buy what we grow

II
Leave us here to bleed and to cry
While secret police question and pry
Notebooks, recorders,
State owned reporters
For any new problem they tell a new lie

III
Vuelve a nosotros, dear brother of mine
You left us to fight for our lives
Government bandits are drinking our wine,
They torture our husbands, imprison our wives

IV
While you run, we make plans, And we bide our time
We strike while we can, Make them pay for their crimes
And after we’ve won, you can let your kids know
How many were gunned down to bring back the vote

V
Vuelve a nosotros, estarás a salvo.
Now that the trouble has fled
We’ll meet you at the airport, help carry your load
Turistas are safe,  now that the dictator’s dead

Questions about this song? Email me at gibson@gibson.show