My friend Karin Perkins is a gifted songwriter, singer and visual artist. She wrote and sang this song for my 70th birthday. Below are the lyrics and a link to her singing. Here’s what she wrote to me about it:
It is written and sung with love, appreciation, and a dash of humor. It was such a joy to do, to think about you and create it for you. The chorus came right away, and the rest of it took lots and lots of shifting and editing. There was so much more I could’ve said! And then I had to change the melody three times before it worked. I’m so glad to have it done and thankful it worked out.
Like an Arrow (Sheila’s Song)
With her mind she draws a map / A map she makes to show the way
In her hands she cups the soil /
And her life is planting seeds of community / and her life is planting seeds
Chorus:
Loyal, true to the marrow / She flies straight to the “eye” like an arrow
Like an arrow, fast and focused / Hits the target, no hocus-pocus.
With her love, they give their all / Their all to serve the greater good
With their time and fervent hearts /
As they join together in solidarity / As they train to play their parts
Chorus:
Over intervals, time they shatter / Flying straight to the heart of the matter
Like an arrow, they’re in motion / Wheels on track, they ride ocean to ocean.
Grassroots on the ground she walks / She walks upon this Mother Earth
As she works for war to cease /
And she starts the day within the world within her / As she sits in quiet peace
Chorus:
Loyal, true to the marrow / She flies straight to the “eye” like an arrow
Like an arrow, she’s Sagattarian / Vegan-arian, peace-atarian
Refrain:
Not a wallflower, she’s not shy
Not a Wall St power, tells no lie
Chorus:
Loyal, true to the marrow / She flies straight to the “eye” like an arrow
Not too narrow: egalitarian / Protest-arian, earth-love-share-ian
With her mind she draws a map / A map she makes to show the way
In her hands she cups the soil /
And her life is planting seeds