You Don’t Have to Seek Love

by Te Martin

Theresa “Te” Martin (they/them) is a community organizer, song-keeper, and ritual artist. Te believes deeply in the power of song to build resilience and to inspire change. They were born on Ramaytush Ohlone land in San Francisco and have been shaped by Ocean, Redwoods, circus arts, and theater games. Te served as co-organizer of Thrive Street Choir in the San Francisco bay area for six years and is currently based in Taos, NM.

You can listen to their music on Bandcamp, and support their work via Patreon.

“Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.”

(This song was inspired by a quote often misattributed to the 13th century Persian poet and Sufi mystic, Rumi (Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī). It turns out this is actually a verse from A Course in Miracles (Chapter 16, IV, 6:1) by Helen Shucman.)

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LYRICS:

Alto 2 (Low mid):

You don't have to seek love 
Only have to let go
Of all that's in the way, love 
All that's holding you back

Tenor/Bass (Low):

There is a path that is walking toward you

Alto 1 (High mid):

For we know that love is seeking us

Soprano (High):

For we know that love is seeking us
For we know that we must let go
For we know that love is __ seeking us

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Skunks Are Coming Out

by Heidi Wilson

Heidi’s passion is to share songs in service to community and the wild world; songs that celebrate the seasons, bring groups together, offer thanks, muster courage, and make room for connection and healing. She has been leading community singing groups in Vermont and beyond for the last 20 years.

This song was inspired by maple sugaring season in Vermont, which coincides with mating season for the skunk population! Here in WNC, our skunks begin emerging to scout for food and mates in mid-February, and will be on the hunt til mid-April. Skunks are mostly nocturnal, but can sometimes be spotted in the daytime, often foraging from household waste.

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LYRICS:

Low:
Drip, drip, drip
Drippy, drippy
Drip, drip, drip
Drippy, drippy

Mid:
Skunks are coming out
Oooo, they’re coming out
Skunks are coming out
To find some food

High:
I can hear the creeks flowing
I can smell the sap boiling
I can feel the sun shining
Drip drip drip

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The Earth Makes of Herself

by Anni Zylstra

Anni Zylstra (they/them) is a multidisciplinary folk artist based in the traditional homelands of the Oceti Sakowin and Ho-chunk in SW so-called Wisconsin.   Some of the realms their work encompasses include traditional willow basketry, agroforestry, polyphonic singing, arts organizing, directing, and teaching. All of Anni's work is rooted in both deep reverence for the nonhuman world, as well as visions of radical inclusion and reimagining who is welcome in the rural folkscape.

“The Earth Makes of Herself  is a many-part round for meal or harvest blessings, or to generally celebrate the wonder of a world intelligent enough to regrow itself season after season.” -Anni

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LYRICS:

The earth makes of herself, 

First the seed, then the blade

and the ear, then the full grain of the year.

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