Diamond Star / Catherine Asaro

Boxcar Madness / Hayim Ani

Breathing Underwater / Hayim Ani

Sapphire Clouds / Catherine Asaro

Rubies / Catherine Asaro

Etch-a-sketch / Hayim Ani

Carnelians / Catherine Asaro

Starlight Child / Catherine Asaro

Emeralds / Catherine Asaro

In Paradisum / Gregorian Chant, Latin

No Answers Catherine Asaro

Carnelians Finale / Catherine Asaro

Diamond Star
Catherine Asaro

Angel, be my diamond star
Before my darkness goes too far
Splinter through my endless night
Lightening my darkling sight

You're, you're, you're, you're
A diamond, a diamond, a diamond star

Brighter than the crystal caves
Sunlight glancing on the waves
Swirling dance upon my heart
Longing while we're held apart

You're, you're, you're, you're
A diamond, a diamond, a diamond star

Take it slow, a daring chance
Swaying in a timeless dance
Shimmering radiance above
Softening this lost man's love

A diamond, a diamond, a diamond star
A diamond, a diamond, a diamond star

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Boxcar Madness
Hayim Ani

This is the first day on your dimming stage
This is the last smile you'll ever say
Look at all the widespread hate
Comes from the anger that fuels our race
Would you love me if I was somebody else?
Would you hate me if I choose to be myself?

Turn away as struggles take me, better learn to pray
Gone insane from crossing out this bitter memory

Leaving a loved one, ignoring the pain
Holding your hand out despite all shame
Lying on cold stone rather than on dreams soft
Jumping high fences not to get caught
Scream to the whole world but nobody's there
Even if they were I doubt they'd care

Turn away as struggles come I hear you scream my name
Gone insane from crossing out just what you meant to me

I can't go home. I can't go home.

Love me.

Quietly you walk right in and out of my dreams
No need to sing; I hear your eyes hum everything

I can't go home. I can't go home.

Would you love me if I was somebody else?
Would you hate me if I choose to be myself?

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Breathing Underwater
Hayim Ani

Now I know, with all the blood that's on the floor
Things will never go back to the way they were before
And there may be a man who says tomorrow's not today
But I know no joy that will take this pain away

Yet when I close my eyes I feel the warmth of the sea
I fall into sleep but you're there to catch me
Your arms are outstretched; you're loving no other
Together we'll learn how to breathe underwater

Just a little boy left in a house of pain
Wondering where all the ashes went
Now I'm standing in a spotlight of shame
Staring at my black and empty frame

Yet when I close my eyes I feel the warmth of the sea
I fall into sleep but you're there to catch me
Your arms are outstretched; you're loving no other
Together we'll learn how to breathe underwater

And when I close my eyes I feel the warmth of the sea
I fall into sleep but you're there to catch me
Your arms are outstretched; loving no other
Together we'll learn how to breathe underwater

You're arms are outstretched; as warm as the sea
Just hold me girl; together we'll breathe

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Sapphire Clouds
Catherine Asaro

Running through the sphere-tipped reeds
Suns like gold and amber beads
Jumping over blue-winged bees
Don't catch me, please
Running, running, running

Running through the sphere-tipped reeds
Suns like gold and amber beads
Jumping over blue-winged bees
Don't catch me, please

Cause I'm running, running, running
I'm running, running, running
I'm running, running, running … away

Flight of bubbles everywhere
Pollen dusting in my hair
No more troubles anywhere
Sapphire clouds above the air

And I'm running, running, running
I'm running, running, running
I'm running, running, running … away

Memories fade in life's strain
Winds of age bring falling rain
Cornucopia of lives
Of years and joys and grieving sighs

Recall sapphire clouds on high
Drifting in this endless sky
Childhood caught and kept deep inside
To treasure after days gone by

And I'm running, running, running
I'm running, running, running
I'm running, running, running … away

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Rubies
Catherine Asaro

Born to live in a Vanished Sea
Lost to seeds of a banished need
Caged in desperate hope for all days
Rubies must give their souls in all ways

Living bound by your empathy
Shelter found in your trinity
Love imprisoning hope for your days
Rubies must give their souls in all ways

Hiding deepest vulnerabilities
Cursed by your mind's abilities
For within you lies the hope for all days
Rubies must give their souls in all ways

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Etch-a-sketch
Hayim Ani

Writing little notes on the Etch-a-Sketch of life
Carving secret hopes on sand dunes in your mind
Water will come now and wash it down the drain
Oh the sketch will shake and your thoughts will fall away

Leaves turn brown and fall to the ground
Fading lights you're all alone tonight

Well I want to be hated
That would justify my world of pain
And I know you feel like Satan
Protective hands watch the candles wane

Sliding slowly down on the slip-an-slide of time
Looking for footholds now on the glass wall passing by
Where's the lifeguard? Is that the sound of loneliness?
Coming from my heart, my heart of emptiness

Trees fall down without making a sound
Angry eyes lie

Well I want to be hated
That would justify my world of pain
And I know you feel like Satan
Protective hands watch the candles wane

Hold back the storm and close your eyes waiting for the light
You pawn away forgotten dreams for thought-provoked misery

Always seem outnumbered against the star-filled sky
But wait the sun is rising; when it shines, begin to fly

So fight no more and raise your hands; in the rain we'll dance
Turn to east with heads held high; watch the new sunrise
...whoa in your eyes.

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Carnelians
Catherine Asaro

You dehumanize us; your critics, they died
You answered defiance with massive genocide
Hunt us as your prey, assault, and enslave
Force us bound to stay for pleasures that you crave

I'm no golden hero in the blazing skies
I'm no fair-haired genius hiding in disguise
I'm only a singer; it's all that I can do
But my voice is rising; I can sing the truth

They strangled our summers, your Carnelian Sons
You anguished the mothers in your war of suns
With a heart that freezes, you shattered my kin
You thought you were leaving no one who could win

I'm no golden hero in the blazing skies
I'm no fair-haired genius hiding in disguise
I'm only a singer; it's all that I can do
But I'm still alive; I'm coming after you

I'll never kneel beneath your Highton stare
I'm here, I'm real; I'll lay your guilt bare
I'll never kneel beneath your Highton stare
I'm here, I'm real; I'm your nightmare

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Starlight Child
Catherine Asaro
To my daughter Cathy

When the forever snows
Tightened their embrace
While my dreaming thoughts froze
You rose with newborn grace

Nothing ever will compare
Nothing ever will come close
Your eyes, your skin, your shining hair
Starlight child, my heart knows

Angel, you're starlight, starlight child
Baby, you're starlight, my lovely child

When your laugh stills the world
Miracles arise
Unexpected, a hidden pearl
Heals my stricken eyes

Nothing ever will compare
Nothing ever will come close
Your eyes, your skin, your shining hair
Starlight child, my heart knows

Baby, you're starlight, starlight child
Baby, you're starlight, my treasured child

[guitar solo]

The ices of sleeping death
Melt within your candle's light
Your trust, your smile, your lilting breath
Starlight child, my heart flies

Angel, you're starlight, starlight child
Baby, you're starlight, my starlight child

Angel, you're starlight, miraculous child
Streaming starlight, my starlight child

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Emeralds
Catherine Asaro

Green as the bitter nail they drove into my name
I won't try to fail just to satisfy their game
Don't listen to their lies; I'll never turn my back on you
Never wait 'til someone dies to promise my heart is true

Emerald drops, emerald tears
It's you they see in their green-shaded mirrors
Emerald drops, emerald tears
The darkness feeds on their green-bladed fears

Night veils the secret hollow in silvered lagoon
Body rising from the water under silent moons
They waited in whispering reeds, green within, predators without
But my brother intervened; he answered my crying shout

Emerald drops, emerald tears
It's you they see in their green-shaded mirrors
Emerald drops, emerald tears
The darkness feeds on their green-bladed fears

I didn't desert you, despite what they crowed
You still believed I was true; they learned what our love knows

Emerald drops, emerald tears
It's you they see in their green-shaded mirrors
Emerald drops, emerald tears
The darkness feeds on their green-bladed fears

Emerald drops, emerald tears
It's you they see in their green-shaded mirrors
Emerald drops, emerald tears
The darkness feeds on their green-bladed fears

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In Paradisum
Gregorian Chant, Latin

In paradisum deducant te Angeli;
in tuo adventu sucipiant te martyres,
et perducant te in civitatem sanctam Jerusalem.

English translation

May angels lead you into Paradise;
May the martyrs receive you at your coming,
And lead you to the holy city of Jerusalem.

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No Answers
Catherine Asaro

No answers live in here alone
No answers on this spectral throne
Nothing in this vault of fears
This sterling vault, chamber of tears

Tell me now before I fall (I fall)
Release from this velvet pall
Tell me now before I fall (I fall)
Take me now, break through my wall

No answers will salvage time
No answers in this tomb sublime
This winnowing crypt intertwined
This crypt whispering in vines

Tell me now before I fall (I fall)
Release from this velvet pall
Tell me now before I fall (I fall)
Take me now, break through my wall

No answers could bring me life
Yet when I opened my eyes
Beyond the sleeping crystal dome
Beyond it all, I had come home

Tell me now before I fall (I fall)
Release from this velvet pall
Tell me now before I fall (I fall)
Take me now, break through my wall

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Carnelians Finale
Catherine Asaro

You dehumanize us
Your critics, they all died
You answered defiance
With massive genocide

You hunt us as your prey
You assault and enslave
You force us bound to stay
For pleasures that you crave

You broke my brother
You Carnelian sons
You tortured my mother
In your war of suns

You shattered my father
You killed my brothers
You murdered my sister
Expecting no others

Well, I'm no golden hero
In the blazing skies
I'm no fair-haired genius
Hiding in disguise

I'm only a singer
Iit's all I can do
But I'm still alive
And I'm coming after you

I'll never kneel
Beneath your Highton stare
I'm here and I'm real
I'll lay your guilt bare

I'll never kneel
Beneath your Highton stare
I'm here and I'm real
Your living nightmare

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