Beneath the Southern Cross
Lyrics and song from Gone Again
Article voiceover
Beneath the Southern Cross
Oh-
To be
Not anyone
Gone
This maze of being
Skin
Oh-
To cry
Not any cry
So mournful that
The dove just laughs
The steadfast gasps
Oh-
To owe
Not anyone
Nothing
To be
Not here
But here
Forsaking all
Equatorial bliss
Who walked through
The callow mist
Dressed in scraps
Who walked
The curve of the world
Whose bone scraped
Whose flesh unfurled
Who grieves not
Anyone gone
To greet lame
The inspired sky
Amazed to stumble
Where gods get lost
Beneath
The southern cross
The vocalist at the end who sings Oh liver or fly is Jeff Buckley.
“Like” isn’t the word for how I feel about this. No word adequate to how extraordinary it is, and how much I needed it. I am still in the stupor of having just lost a friend, contemplating, again and again:
Oh-
To be
Not anyone
Gone
This maze of being . . .
When my friend was nearing the end, she wrote: “I am ready to take my swan dive into the cosmic soup.” Crossover she will.
“A sign lavished upon an inspired heaven” is beautiful beyond belief. I can’t wait until we read this whole piece.
Thank you so much for this, Patti. Thank you to all for this community. Life is richer, and the world is more bearable for its existence.
In gratitude,
Robin