People Have The Power
by Patti Smith (1988)
I was dreaming in my
dreaming
Of an aspect bright
and fair
And my sleeping it
was broken
But my dream it
lingered near
In the form of
shining valleys
Where the pure air
recognized
And my senses newly
opened
I awakened to the
cry
That the people have
the power
To redeem the work
of fools
Upon the meek the
graces shower
It's decreed the
people rule
The people have the
power
The people have the
power
The people have the
power
The people have the
power
Vengeful aspects
became suspect
And bending low as
if to hear
And the armies
ceased advancing
Because the people
had their ear
And the shepherds
and the soldiers
Lay beneath the
stars
Exchanging visions
And laying arms
To waste in the dust
In the form of
shining valleys
Where the pure air
recognized
And my senses newly
opened I awakened to the cry
The people have the
power
The people have the
power
The people have the
power
The people have the
power
Where there were
deserts
I saw fountains
Like cream the
waters rise
And we strolled
there together
With none to laugh
or criticize
And the leopard
And the lamb
Lay together truly
bound
I was hoping in my
hoping
To recall what I had
found
I was dreaming in my
dreaming
God knows a purer
view
As I surrender to my
sleeping
I commit my dream to
you
The people have the
power
The people have the
power
The people have the
power
The people have the
power
The power to dream
to rule
To wrestle the world
from fools
It's decreed the
people rule
It's decreed the
people rule
Listen. I believe
everything we dream
Can come to pass
through our union
We can turn the
world around
We can turn the
earth's revolution
We have the power
People have the
power
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