A song written in response to the mass shooting in Orlando. 

Beautiful Children

What’ll we leave our beautiful children?
How can they shine their beautiful light?
What have we built as a beacon 
when they go into the night?
Our beautiful children

What’ll we leave our beautiful children?
How can we spare their beautiful souls?
How can they live their lives in freedom
When our blindness takes its toll?
Our beautiful children

What’ll we leave our beautiful children?
How to preserve their beautiful faith? 
How can we offer them assurance 
when we cannot keep them safe?

A safe place to sleep, a safe place to play
A safe place to learn a safe place to pray
A safe place to love, a safe place to dance
A safe place to hold each other’s hands.

What’ll we leave our beautiful children?
How can they shine their beautiful light?
What have we built as a beacon 
when they go into the night?
Our beautiful children

Words and music by Mandy Troxel, June 2016

Our Beautiful Children

I was at a hootenanny of sorts a while back, and we were singing our way through a bunch of great old folk standards. Someone requested this one. About a verse into it, I was overcome. I looked up, and saw that many of us in the room were in tears. This song is powerful, powerful stuff. And it is still 100% relevant, to the shame of our country.

Today there was another mass shooting. Children at our borders are still in cages. Flint still doesn't have potable water. Another day of Trump at the helm. Tonight I sat on my couch and sang this song over and over. So, here it is for you, too.

Note: I'm playing on a tenor guitar that I bought from my friend Bruce. He found it at a flea market, with the $12.50 price tag. He took it home and cleaned it up. This tenor literally has a crack down the side that I can fit a  finger through. And it plays beautifully. Bruce was going to give it to me, but I insisted on honoring the price tag. Best deal ever.

Note #2: recorded and shared without permission. :)