Let us not forget, in a democracy the leaders work for us
the people
not for their own fame or financial gain
not to stroke their egos or build buildings to bear their name
not to grab power any way they can
not to be the lead story every night on the news
not to push their personal agendas
not to sow seeds of discord and division,
not to build monuments with money that could help the poor,
not to make it harder rather than easier to vote,
not to make decisions that destroy the planet and steal
our children’s and their children’s and their children’s future,
not to use their office as a bully pulpit to peddle their prejudices
not to spread their racism, lies, cruelty, and hate,
not to justify their violence, not to kill our neighbors,
not to threaten other countries, not to steal their oil and resources,
not to disregard the dignity of others or to separate families,
not to govern with pettiness and vindictiveness,
not to embarrass American citizens with infantile behavior,
not to rule from their own insecurities, their personal arrogance,
but to serve the people, especially the most vulnerable among us.
Let us remember, the power of peacefully working together for good,
with integrity and compassion, with hope and love.
Check out this version by Choir! Choir! Choir! It conveys better the message of Patti Smith’s anthem.
PEOPLE HAVE THE POWER
I was dreaming in my dreamingof an aspect bright and fairand my sleeping it was brokenbut my dream it lingered nearin the form of shining valleyswhere the pure air recognizedand my senses newly openedI awakened to the crythat the people have the powerto redeem the work of foolsupon the meek the graces showerit’s decreed the people rule
The people have the powerThe people have the powerThe people have the powerThe people have the power
Vengeful aspects became suspectand bending low as if to hearand the armies ceased advancingbecause the people had their earand the shepherds and the soldierslay beneath the starsexchanging visionsand laying armsto waste in the dustin the form of shining valleyswhere the pure air recognizedand my senses newly openedI awakened to the cry
The people have the powerThe people have the powerThe people have the powerThe people have the power
I saw fountainslike cream the waters riseand we strolled there togetherwith none to laugh or criticizeand the leopardand the lamblay together truly boundI was hoping in my hopingto recall what I had foundI was dreaming in my dreamingGod knows a purer viewas I surrender to my sleepingI commit my dream to you
The people have the powerThe people have the powerThe people have the powerThe people have the power
The power to dream, to ruleto wrestle the world from foolsit’s decreed the people ruleit’s decreed the people ruleListenI believe everything we dreamcan come to pass through our unionwe can turn the world aroundwe can turn the earth’s revolution
The people have the powerThe people have the power
