Give me an ocean to hold my tears Find hope and resilience in the face of hardship with Holly Near's song "I am Willing." Includes resources to support fire relief efforts in Los Angeles. TOEIC 450+, Eiken 2, CEFR B1.
and watched the video clip at the top of the web page and saw her singing the song (I AM WILLING) on the stage and giving her messages with some photos. One of the photos (at 2:03) caught my attention. It shows a blackboard, which says:
“KEEP AMERICA SAFE FOR DIFFERENCES!”
I don’t know how old this photo is, but I realized that even back then such a slogan had a meaning.
I am always impressed by your powers of observation! (And thank you, by the way, for your private message.)
The photo you saw of the blackboard was probably taken in the 1950s. My guess (and I could be wrong) that it was around the time of McCarthy and the era of HUAC (read about that here: https://louisehaynes.substack.com/p/wasnt-that-a-time). The sign says:
Keep America Safe For Difference!
Immunize Americans Against Prejudices
Religious Conflict - A trick to weaken and destroy us
Hate Poisons the [?]
Yes, the slogan was a reflection of those times, and it is still pertinent today, isn't it?
"I am Willing" was written in 2006. I don't know what month it was, but it was during the Iraq War. Many places in the world were facing the effects of catastrophic climate changes, and in the U.S., coming out of the 2005 Hurricane Katrina disaster, 2006 saw tornadoes in the midwest and flooding in Europe. Katrina highlighted ongoing racism.
I think Holly Near must have taken a step back to look at all of this upheaval. When she wrote the first few lines, "To be hopeless would seem so strange / It dishonors those who go before us", I wonder if she wasn't thinking about all of the people who have fought for civil rights. For the other lyrics, was she thinking about the hundreds of thousands who lost their homes in Katrina? Of those around the world who were suffering?
Also, in your message, you asked what “Even though it burns our eyes” means. The lyrics say:
May the winds of change caress us / Even though it burns our eyes
You may have experienced shedding tears when walking in a very strong wind. In my opinion, the metaphor, "winds of change", mean that change is not easy, and we often try to resist it. So, even though change is difficult and we feel pain, change is inevitable and is sometimes a catalyst (it encourages) change for the better.
When I read these lyrics for this post, I couldn't help seeing the irony at this moment, when so many are literally feeling their eyes burning from the smoke in the L.A. area. Right now, it is extremely difficult to think about how this disaster could ever be anything but horrific for everyone involved.
That song is not only moving but so powerful Louise... I've just read your reply to Mitsuru Hiki's comment and pull this phrase, like you did, from the song...
"May the winds of change caress us / Even though it burns our eyes"
Dear Louise,
I followed your advice and visited her website at:
https://hollynear.com/
and watched the video clip at the top of the web page and saw her singing the song (I AM WILLING) on the stage and giving her messages with some photos. One of the photos (at 2:03) caught my attention. It shows a blackboard, which says:
“KEEP AMERICA SAFE FOR DIFFERENCES!”
I don’t know how old this photo is, but I realized that even back then such a slogan had a meaning.
Mitsuru Hiki
Hi Mitsuru,
I am always impressed by your powers of observation! (And thank you, by the way, for your private message.)
The photo you saw of the blackboard was probably taken in the 1950s. My guess (and I could be wrong) that it was around the time of McCarthy and the era of HUAC (read about that here: https://louisehaynes.substack.com/p/wasnt-that-a-time). The sign says:
Keep America Safe For Difference!
Immunize Americans Against Prejudices
Religious Conflict - A trick to weaken and destroy us
Hate Poisons the [?]
Yes, the slogan was a reflection of those times, and it is still pertinent today, isn't it?
"I am Willing" was written in 2006. I don't know what month it was, but it was during the Iraq War. Many places in the world were facing the effects of catastrophic climate changes, and in the U.S., coming out of the 2005 Hurricane Katrina disaster, 2006 saw tornadoes in the midwest and flooding in Europe. Katrina highlighted ongoing racism.
I think Holly Near must have taken a step back to look at all of this upheaval. When she wrote the first few lines, "To be hopeless would seem so strange / It dishonors those who go before us", I wonder if she wasn't thinking about all of the people who have fought for civil rights. For the other lyrics, was she thinking about the hundreds of thousands who lost their homes in Katrina? Of those around the world who were suffering?
Also, in your message, you asked what “Even though it burns our eyes” means. The lyrics say:
May the winds of change caress us / Even though it burns our eyes
You may have experienced shedding tears when walking in a very strong wind. In my opinion, the metaphor, "winds of change", mean that change is not easy, and we often try to resist it. So, even though change is difficult and we feel pain, change is inevitable and is sometimes a catalyst (it encourages) change for the better.
When I read these lyrics for this post, I couldn't help seeing the irony at this moment, when so many are literally feeling their eyes burning from the smoke in the L.A. area. Right now, it is extremely difficult to think about how this disaster could ever be anything but horrific for everyone involved.
That song is not only moving but so powerful Louise... I've just read your reply to Mitsuru Hiki's comment and pull this phrase, like you did, from the song...
"May the winds of change caress us / Even though it burns our eyes"
In reply I say only this... I am praying🙏🏼
I hope your week is kind one xx
Thank you, Susie. Take good care of you and yours!🐑🐈🐈⬛🐕🪶🐇🐾