A Silent Vigil

(for John Lennon)

Your name, it still echoes softly,

Down the empty hallways of time

Seems like only yesterday you were with us

Though it's been a year since you died

Yet your memory is still with us

With your pictures and your songs

The then generation will never forget

How you helped them get along

.

You took us so many places

We had never been before

Across the universe and beyond

You opened so many doors

And when the answers to the questions

Seemed so distant, far away

You found solutions to the riddles

You showed us the easy way

..

Remember when they tried to deport you

Said your influence was all wrong

You were a revolutionary, a junkie

A thorn in the sides of the throngs

Didn't we all come together

United, for our cause we fought so hard

And though they fought against you

You won your freedom, your green card

.

You only wanted to give the world freedom

To give peace a chance

Like so many who went before you

You took a non violent stand

But they couldn't understand you

And they wouldn't leave you alone

Until they drove you to seclusion

To find some peace of your own

.

Then, after five years in the shadows

You came back into the light

A family man, a different man

But man, you were all right

And the songs we had waited for

So patiently all those years

Are memories, beautiful memories

Of a man who use to be here

.

"John Lennon," he called

You turned, how could you know

A shot rang out, someone screamed

You felt heat

Then cold

And even as he fired

Again, again, again

Your life flashed, but for a second

But even a second

Can mean the end

.

Tears fell like rain to the ground

When across news wires it was sent

John Lennon was murdered today

Another music legend has come to an end

And in nearly every country

Nearly every village, city and town

Silence fell, if but for a minute

There was peace all around

.

And flowers appeared like magic

Around the gateway to your home

Your picture was held to our hearts

To prove you never died alone

We sang, "Give Peace a Chance"

And when we couldn't sing anymore

We burned candles in silent vigil

To your memory, we will never let go

.

Even though you have left us

Your name will always live on

'Cause we know that out there somewhere

You're still singing your songs

We heard there's a rock and roll heaven

So there must be a guitar

And we know if there's a band in heaven

You must be it's number one star

.

Good-bye John

The war is over

.

© December 5, 1981