Alison

[Joe Grant, my collaborator,
co-founded the Canadian folk band Tanglefoot.
His young friend Alison survived the Iraq War]

My dog, Charley
Is howling in the night.
He doesn’t know what’s coming down,
Something isn’t right.
He doesn’t know there’s a War going on.
All he knows:
Alison is gone.

Alison, Alison,
Why did you have to go?
Alison, Alison,
I didn’t know:
My words didn’t reach you,
My life didn’t teach you,
My message of Peace faded too soon.
I’m barking at the moon.

Alison, your beautiful voice
Rang into the sky.
Alison, you’re now in Iraq,
But your still a child.
Charley knows me, he senses my fear.
He pushes his nose into me,
Wishing you were here.

Alison, Alison,
Why did you have to go?
Alison, Alison,
How was I to know?
I’m barking at the moon.

This world has gone crazy,
They’re marching in unison.
They’ve taken Charley’s best friend - Alison.
And we’re barking at the moon.

Alison, Alison,
Why did you have to go?
Alison, Alison,
I didn’t know . . .

©  2005  Joe Grant - Ingrid Heldt