Tom Flannery Autumn's Harvest
Birthday parties and Christmas daysthanksgivings
through the years
refrigerators and grocery stores
and a migrant worker's tears
shopping carts and frayed coupons
seems every day's a blur
would it all taste the same
if you knew who they were
it's autumn's harvest the end of the line
no more turning water into wine
hope it withers on the vine
it's autumn's harvest the end of the line
it's autumn's harvest the end of the line
There's pastures of plenty here
a great little man once said
enough to ensure dignity
with every bite of bread
so why do we close our eyes
to the things we cannot see
and let others live like dry leaves
in the land of the free
it's autumn's harvest the end of the line
no more turning water into wine
hope it withers on the vine
it's autumn's harvest the end of the line
it's autumn's harvest the end of the line
Bless us oh Lord and these thy gifts
which we are about to receive
help us remember that it all got here
from a man down on his knees
if we had an extra chair
would we set a place
for those who pick our food
to lead us in grace
Some men give some take away
and others stand aside
and watch it all with a weariness
that allows others to decide
that the food we eat is drenched with sweat
some may surely justify
but when blood is mixed in with the toil
it's time to ask why
it's autumn's harvest the end of the line
no more turning water into wine
hope it withers on the vine
it's autumn's harvest the end of the line
Bless us oh Lord and these thy gifts
which we are about to receive
help us remember that it all got here
from a man down on his knees
if we had an extra chair
would we set a place
to allow those who pick our food
to lead us in grace
it's autumn's harvest the end of the line
no more turning water into wine
hope it withers on the vine
it's autumn's harvest the end of the line
it's autumn's harvest the end of the line
