© 2012 All Rights Reserved
Completed 10-26-12 Carbondale, IL
For four generations, we’ve farmed on this land, Raised cattle and horses, some corn, beans, and wheat. Raised three generations of healthy young children On well water, pure from an aquifer sweet.
Chorus: Rise and shine, throw open the windows Breathe air, washed clean by the fresh morning breeze Walk up near the bluff, where the spring bubbles forth And sing with the wind, whistling high in the trees.
Last four years been hard, for the rains didn’t come Our crops, they were stunted, and money came dear Dad sold off some livestock, prayed times would get better Mom took work in town as a grocery cashier.
Chorus: Rise and shine, throw open the windows New day, washed clean by the fresh morning breeze Walk up near the bluff, where the spring bubbles forth And pray with the wind, whistling high in the trees.
Gas company came and demanded permission To survey our land, dig for gas and for oil Their lies about safety and promise of money Just made our dad angry; he told them to go.
Chorus: Rise and shine, close all the windows New day, fog lingering, stinging my nose Walk up near the bluff, spring no longer bubbles forth And the wind has no answers; my fear overflows.
So why does our air . . . smell foul like the swamp gas? Brown well water sickening our family and cows? Big Oil fracked the land that lay under our neighbors And poisoned the aquifer under us ALL.