RISE AND SHINE

© 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.