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It Takes A Vilage

J. Becker, © 2001

As performed at the NYC Recovers Together We Heal event,
Washington Square Park, Manhattan, Nov. 17th, 2001

Verse I: We held hands in the deepest darkness known,
We held on 'til dawn's first light.
The teachings say: from great despair comes quiet strength,
The shadowed eyes regain their sight.

A great city's sorrow yields a village of hope.
From small beginnings come great things:
An old injustice healed by one man's dream;
One woman's walk, a nation's wings.

As we labor with our neighbors
While rebuilding mind and mission,
We can trace the humble nature
Of the City of Ambition,

And that city speaks a hundred languages,
But with just one voice tonight.

Chorus:
Our greatest dreams will rise again from starting small,
From this great city, a village rises to heal us all.

Verse II:
We held hands in the deepest darkness sown
In the dirt where majesty once stood.
But we are taught that greatness rises when again
The humble carpenter lays wood.

See the ancient teachings written on the wall,
I sat down on the bus by your side.
Tales from the city are small town legends after all:
I'd never met you, but when our eyes met, we both cried.
And we watched the streets go by...

And those city streets, they pave a thousand paths,
But they all lead here tonight.

Chorus:
When troubles seem too many, and the world's too small;
Oh, it just might take a village to heal us all.
When the world rests on your shoulders, you must think small.
In this great city, it takes a village to heal us all.

Verse II-A:
We held hands with the greatest hope we've known.
From the ashes of the fallen, heroes rise.