All That Remains Is The Love (1995)

Walking in the sunset through this garden of stone
I am shuffling through years like fallen leaves
I picture mothers and their lovers and their children left alone
You’re the one who stood here silent in your grief
You could not have imagined me and I know so little of you
There’s no monument to your memory
But your breath is in my laughter and your steel is in my eyes
And here I am, your strange and humble legacy
And the mansions that you built were all reclaimed by time
Of your face there is no portrait, of your fortune not one dime

All that remains is the love
All that remains is the love
All that remains is the love bravely expressed
And the moment, the moment when you danced
And your heart, your heart danced with you

I hope I am returning all the best you gave the world
And thank you for the gift of your mistakes
I’m trying not to live my life in anger or in fear
And power isn’t worth the hate it takes
And since everything I build will turn to dust in time
And riches disappear like morning mist
Family and friends and lovers now will be my only song
Until I come to join you and they visit me like this
And Mr. Thomas, I love his poetry, but he didn’t get it right
The sunset is too beautiful to rage against the dying of the light

When all that remains is the love
All that remains is the love
All that remains is the love bravely expressed
And the moment, the moment that you danced
And your heart, your heart danced with you

And Mr. Thomas, I love his poetry, but I can’t take his advice
You see, I will go gentle into that good night

‘Cause all that remains is the love
All that remains is the love
All that remains is the love bravely expressed
And the moment, the moment when we dance

Composed: Richmond, Indiana, Summer 1995

First public performance: Calvin College Fine Arts Center, Grand Rapids, Michigan, February 10, 1996

Notes: Inspired by Ian Frazier’s memoir Family, and by the stories of my ancestors.

Recordings:
David Frantz and Lee Krähenbühl, Love Unexplored (1996)
Listen:

Kindling, Spark the Fire! (KinFolk, 2003)
Listen to the Kindling arrangement (2003) via YouTube

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