It Won't Take Long

they said some men would be warriors
 some men would be kings
 some men would be owners of land
 and other man-made things
 false love as the eternal flame
 would move some to think in rings
 and gold would be our power
 and other foolish things
 and you who dream of liberty
 must not yourselves be fooled
 before you get to plea for freedom
 you've agreed to being ruled
 if the body stays a shackle
 then the mind remains a chain
 and that will link you to your destiny
 where by other souls are slain
 it won't take long
 it won't take too long at all
 three men in a desert wandering
 one is knowing and two are scared
 they say time is in the river
 oh but the river is not there
 dry in spirit
 dry in body
 two will lend themselves to death
 and in grief one weeps into his hands
 and drinks his bitter tears
 'cause it don't take long
 it don't take too long at all
 no it don't take long
 you may say
 i don't know what you're talking about
 and i say
 you mean to tell me that's all
 and i stand before you now
 i am hopeful in my rage
 you know love has finally called for me
 i will not wilt upon its stage
 but you know still smaller than my nightmare
 now do i print upon the page
 and do we have to live inside its walls
 to identify the cage
 'cause it takes so long
 why does it take so long
 and it takes so long
 you may say
 i don't really care what you're talking about
 i'm gonna ask you
 you trying to tell me you don't belong
 i am my mother's daughter
 but i have seen myself in you
 it's this blessing that i follow now
 and so i must speak true
 i dreamed of thousands dying
 it was you and you and you
 and while the city sleeps so quietly
 there is something we must do
 and it wont' take long
 it won't take too long at all
 it won't take long
 may say
 i don't know if i wanna know what you're getting at
 it makes me wanna say
 so long
 grief shall come in measures
 only grief alone will know
 and you'll see it on your family
 and on your own face it will grow
 then they'll try to keep you hungry
 and they'll tell you to eat snow
 you know pride can be a moving thing
 if we learn the strength of no
 and it won't take long
 it won't take too long at all
 no it won't take long
 you may say
 i don't think this has anything to do with me
 did you ever think you could be wrong
 at noon on one day coming
 human strength will fill the streets
 of every city on our planet
 hear the sound of angry feet
 with business freezed up in the harbour
 the kings will pull upon their hair
 and the banks will shudder to a halt
 and the artists will be there
 'cause it won't take long
 it won't take too long at all
 no it won't take long
 and you may say
 i don't think i can be a part of that
 and it makes me want to say
 don't you want to see yourself that strong
 division between the peoples
 will disappear that honoured day
 and though oceans lie between us
 lifted candles light the way
 half will join their hands by moonlight
 the rest under the rising sun
 as underneath the sun and moon
 a ritualed wailing has begun
 and it won't take long
 it won't take too long at all
 and it won't take long
 and you may say
 i don't know how to be a part of what you're talking about
 and it makes me want to say
 come on
 come on
 oh beware you sagging diplomats
 for you will not hear one gun
 and though our homes be torn and ransacked
 we will not be undone
 for as we let ourselves be bought
 we're gonna let ourselves be free
 and if you think we stand alone
 take a look around and you will see
 we are children in the rafters
 we are babies in the park
 we are lovers at the movies
 we are candles in the dark
 we are changes in the weather
 we are snowflakes in july
 we are women grown together
 we are men who easily cry
 we are words no quickly spoken
 we're the deeper side of try
 we are dreamers in the making
 we are not afraid of why