My apologies to those who came to the Old Town School's First Fri. tonight expecting to find me at the Songwriters' Exchange. Woke up today with a scratchy throat and stuffy nose. Since I have to be up early tomorrow to be at a funeral on the South Side, and be in top form for Fox Valley Sun. & Mon. (lotsa driving, walking, being out in the hot sun & schlepping as well as performing), I decided to listen to my body late this afternoon. What my body said was "Take a nap and stay home tonight." So here's the lyric to the song I WAS going to introduce tonight and WILL sing at FF on Monday. It riffs on the phrase "our better angels," which as you remember spawned a joyous and hopeful patriotic song upon my return from Grant Park; in light of recent events it was also naîve. This new one is also hopeful and impassioned but also gets down to brass tacks (note to conservatives: that's "TACKS," not "tax"). OUR BETTER ANGELS, CHAPTER TWO Let our better angels through There’s important work to do That’s why we elected you to be our voice Set a course for common sense Give us back our confidence To ensure our government provides a choice. Freedom lives if hope endures Equally for rich and poor Let our steps be strong and sure That justice may prevail Compromise is meaningless If it’s stalled by stubbornness If nothing comes without duress Then all are bound to fail It’s okay—we know you tried But your opposition lied Don’t forget you’re on our side, we trust you. Shed the gloves, unsheathe the claws Do not wait to hear applause Honoring this noble cause, you must do. Freedom lives if truth endures. Let it ring out clear and pure Doing nothing cannot cure The ills to which we’re heir. Hands across the aisle may be simple unreality Just accomplish what must be-- The tools are truly there. The best may often crush the good. But that doesn’t mean we should Close the door on all that could still be done Raise a torch against the night Leave the gloom, embrace the light If we don’t give up the fight, then we’ve won. So let our better angels through There is still so much………….to……..do