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The Compassion Files

by Stephen Iverson

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1.
My Love 04:45
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MY LOVE my love begins with you and goes past the farthest, farthest land to a stone lying on a beach so obscure the seagulls have forgotten it but not, my love my love starts with you and goes to a place long forgotten the ancient trees that grow there cry out with joy when my love carried by the wind when my love arrives my love starts with you and is carried by the wind to everywhere you could go to the ends of the earth and find nowhere that my love is not there whispering in each ear, my love
2.
Don't Stop Dancing 04:15
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DON’T STOP DANCING I can see you’re down I can see the light within your eyes has flickered out you don’t want to talk you don’t want to explain what it’s all about well all I want to say is that I care I’ll be there any time or anywhere I don’t have a magic pill but I know that there is good waiting for you, waiting for you don’t stop dancing cause the music still plays though you may not have heard a sound for many a day don’t stop dancing cause the music still plays though right now you may not see the light and you just can’t feel the beat through such a grey haze I just can’t recall the last time I caught a glimpse of your beautiful smile you’re so quiet now what happened to your joy what happened to your style but grace is out there pounding on your door one day you’ll see the sun just like before I know I’ll see you dance again I know I’ll hear you sing in your own time, in your own time
3.
You Weren't Involved 03:16
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YOU WEREN’T INVOLVED there it was, in giant letters scribbled the door I wasn’t sure what it said at first but then the meaning of those awful words their hatred came as a shock to my senses I looked around, who could help a man sitting nearby on a fence you say you weren’t involved you didn’t see anything suspicious or out of the ordinary types of comes and goes of the ordinary types of Joes after all, there was no one who was hurt today the door will get a fresh new coat of paint then tomorrow we’ll forget those words I have never really liked confrontation I look around, who could help a young woman shielding her eyes all around, I look around to see if anyone would stand up for the person living there he seemed to be afraid to come outside how could I explain I wanted to help him he wouldn’t talk to anyone justice depends on us all
4.
What Are We 04:22
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4. WHAT ARE WE? what are we, not rock or bone not sand or stone see my hands, they’re dying now at the same time being born more like longing, more like music more like rhythm that gives us form more like breath, more like a shape of light more like a word called out from home what are we, everyone, a masterpiece of grace always dying, always being born in a more divine place more like love, more like sound like the perfect song of a bird more like thought, more like inspiration more like ideas that must be heard I could ask myself every day who am I, and who yesterday the flow is toward a kinder way a softer, fairer shape of clay more like a feeling, that can’t be bound more like the flight of a bird more like thought, more like inspiration more like ideas that must be heard
5.
Common Ground 04:25
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6.
I'm Everyone 04:12
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I’M EVERYONE I am an earthling, we call a human being a mammal at the top of the food chain we have large brains, opposable thumbs, we have two we walk upright, we have hair in odd places we make up languages we come in shades of red and brown and pink and white and yellow and black I’m everyone, I’m everyone I see you there and you remind me of me I’m everyone, I’m everyone every shape every type every person that’s me we all need the same to be happy and thrive some think we should care for the earth some have power and some of us don’t and that usually is determined by the chance of our birth if my uncle can give me a job I’ll take it I hope I’ll inherit some money I’ll take all that I can get but I’m also the guy who has no helping hand at all I accept all the horrors that people have done all the profound goodness too I love everyone but I also can hate and sometimes I want power over everyone else I’ve voted red I’ve voted blue often I’m just plain confused I march for peace but then I throw a brick and I carry a gun because I was abused I am the oppressor I am the oppressed I hold the whip and feel its bite I lynch my brother I imprison my son and I cry tears when I see injustice
7.
Don't Look The Other Way 04:23
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DON’T LOOK THE OTHER WAY don’t look the other way light shines down every day lighting the blessed and those left behind don’t look the other way there was this man, I saw him sometimes always looking for some kind of work I always ignored him, he scared me a little until his two children were with him one day I saw him smiling then he was laughing with them I couldn’t remember how he had looked frightening he just loved his kids like me there is no reason, there is no excuse to turn away from a friend on hard times what are we here for, if not to care why do we cry if not for others we are given sight, let’s not be blind there is pain and loneliness and sometimes we can help if we open up our eyes
8.
The Penny Song 04:16
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THE PENNY SONG I saw a penny on the ground I wonder should I stop to reach and pick it up what could that penny do for me could it buy me some truth I see and hear but I still don’t know much truth If I gave this penny to you could it help could it ease your burden some? I don’t understand what you’re going through but I care and I’d share what I am and what I have, to pull me through I hold the penny in my hand somehow it slips and falls and rolls away I might have bought something maybe a simple little prayer for light so that I could understand now I’m looking down at my empty hand that penny left a space for something new in time a speck will fall from somewhere in heaven that I’ll give to you I’ll use this empty hand to pray maybe all that penny ever did was get in the way I’ll hold this empty hand up to the heavens and I’ll wait I don’t care how long for a tiny speck of truth the silent prayer that’s on my lips is swept away by a soft wind and off somewhere the only truth that I can find is my naked open hand just there it’s not hard to find
9.
How Without Me 03:58
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HOW WITHOUT ME? there’s that tree standing always upright out my window there in the sun that tree, it offers its shade, its blessing alive and growing and never done how can I overlook that beauty as I have so many times before problems that seem so much bigger than nature magic here that I ignore see this blossom for me is blooming yes I know why alone I smile that fragrance caught by a draft is blowing my window open wide all the while night time is but a pause in their beauty petals light as the air for cloth in nothing but the finest of colors morning’s light, a dawn so soft I had lost my way till the web beauty found it’s way back to me all the trees swaying gently for us telling stories of heart and soul nature crying out, “Yes you belong how without me can you be whole?”
10.
Oh Breath Of Life 04:17
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OH BREATH OF LIFE oh breath of life, that knows each flower as it dries brown, from the heat of the sun oh knowing eyes that smile, knowing eyes that smile at the birth of innocence, and smile stillat the death of wisdom oh heart that bleeds with the melting snow and the leaves that fall one by one by one oh idea that never fades, idea that never fades that watches all things change and then wait to watch yet again oh breath of life who pauses only when a dream dies dreams are us, reaching for you oh knowing eyes that smile at the birth of innocence and smile still at the death of wisdom oh fire bright, oh fire, burning all things useless leaving only the truth for us to see oh fire bright burn the fear and the selfishness from our thoughts and leave our inspiration free our passion, free our voice oh final question that answers all satisfies and leaves us filled with light oh final question who smiles when we ask if we are loved your knowing eyes delight in the passion of our search
11.
All Will Be Well 02:12
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ALL WILL BE WELL if the flowers that bloom are a little brighter because of our care if the love and tenderness that we share makes life more bright if the world is filled with some extra joy because of our love every act of building and friendship brings peace to folk everywhere then all will be well we’re building heaven here with our hands then all will be well with other folk at work in many other lands if the rights of the many are shared with all of those who have no voice if every soul can reach for the highest rung every time if the desire for justice that burns within our souls and fuels us on how many fires will we light in others that rage for right
12.
Pity The Flightless Bird 03:53
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PITY THE FLIGHTLESS BIRD Pity the flightless bird stuck upon the ground that knows how high it could fly there’s some small defect in its wing, perhaps a feather’s gone or its little eyes just can’t see the sky its day to soar it just may never come its life no doubt will just be more of the same but looking up and dreaming of the colors to paint the clouds dancing on the tops of towering trees the mind is singing, the mind is playing about the soul rages with fire all around this busy world filled with life and chaos in spite of all things good there are those who can only watch as it rolls on by they’ll be watching from where they’ve always stood the starting bell is not heard by everyone some loving souls cannot see the setting sun but knowing of life in itself is a wonderful thing just as is the feeling that you’re loved these voices of the silent and the yearning of those in pain are heard throughout all time
13.
I Won't Be Free 03:28
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I WON’T BE FREE every day the sun comes up every day a new chance every day we can open our eyes see the lives bound in chains I won’t be free, no, I won’t be free I won’t be free, no, I won’t be free I won’t be free, no I won’t be free till all God’s children how many songs, yea, and how many prayers till enough of us really care how many times do some folk have to limp down that same old road getting nowhere maybe it’ll never come that day when eyes are opened this war is against ignorance and fear oh but lead me to a battle I’ll fight a battle with you life ain’t fair, that’s just the way it is never has been, never will but our brothers and sisters trying to rise just a little higher and this rigged system keeps them down still
14.
The State Of Love 04:10
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THE STATE OF LOVE though it isn’t much, this is what I know there’s a universal rhythm, there’s a sacred flow when I live in the state of love, there’s only kindness in me when I choose the way of love compassion bursts out from me I don’t need to dream I have everything when I live in the state of love a fearlessness takes over me it must be a passion every day it must come from thanks for this green earth it must include every living thing all life has great worth it mustn’t expect love in return not everyone chooses this way just know that fear had gripped some hearts and hear what they say look at your family at home they need especially your grace so many things can be resolved with a tender embrace the wise bring peace everywhere they go the wise don’t judge the wise don’t blame time changes nearly everything only love stays the same our past is nothing but a blur just a confusing worn place forgive everyone forgive yourself and live in the grace

about

Compassion Files was recorded and produced during the pandemic as a solo project between June 2020 - March 2021.
All the songs were written during the previous decade.
I loved creating it and I’m in gratitude of the solitude that helped
project this labor of love forward into the world...

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released November 16, 2021

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Stephen Iverson San Anselmo, California

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