THE FLAG (from A Steadfast Bridge)
Music & Lyrics ©2002 by Joy Katzen-Guthrie. All rights reserved.

I have a flag I love to show,
unfurling in each constant breeze
Beating with infinite hope,
reaching with fathomless might,
displaying its countenance with ease.

The flag that I fly stands for life,
freedom from worry and from fear.
It is a pillar of strength,
shines as a beacon of truth
to those who seek it far and near.

This flag is here within my heart.
Oh what joy to feel its release,
To see the pride of its wave,
hear how it beats with the wind,
symbol of faith and of peace.

There are no limits on my flag’s love.
All the world is touched by its grace.
Its nation spans every sea,
its borders criss-cross the globe
to reach every culture and race.

My flag’s blue is like the deep sea,
red human blood that touches white light,
Orange like the glow of the sun,
gray like the shell of a cloud,
black as the depth of the night.

Brown like the soil of the earth,
pink like a seabird’s underwing.
Green as a blanket of trees,
purple like mountain wildflowers,
gold like a harvest moon’s ring.

My flag waves for all humankind,
Christian and Buddhist, and for Jew,
Muslim and Hindu and Sikh,
Daoist, Agnostic, Bahai,
Pagan and Aetheist too.

The shades and textures of my flag
never fade, nor crease, nor end.
Its courage ever endures,
its undying fire glows bright.
That is the flag I defend.

Its courage ever endures,
its undying fire glows bright.
That is the flag I defend.

TIME OUT (from Passages)
©1991, 1998 by Joy Katzen-Guthrie. All rights reserved.

We've been passing each other from room to room, ready to smother from the weight of our gloom.
No eyes meeting, nothing said, but somehow the silence screams in my head.

You got your problems, and so do I. They burn beneath the bandage of guilt we apply.
The money's a struggle, the job's a strain. We seal our hearts to shut out the pain.

All I ask is that you listen and see ... I'll tell you how we'll be free ...

CHORUS:
All we need is time out, time far away, time out, from this rainy day,
Learning to love in our own space, facing the future at our own pace.
I'm calling for time out ­for you and me.

I've forgotten your loving touch, the sensuous kisses I cherished so much.
I yearn to hold you in my arms again, and I crave the friendship we had back then.

We need our freedom, one great escape, together alone without any red tape,
To find ourselves and discover once more the treasure we had before.

It's not too late to stop this merry-go-round: Just put two feet on the ground.

CHORUS:
All we need is time out, time far away, time out, our own holiday,
Learning to love in our own space, facing the future at our own pace.
I'm calling for time out ...

We've still got each other as friend and lover, witnessing an awakening,
to build together a dream to weather any storm that the world can bring.