A song about Josiah Henson, Uncle Tom's Cabin, and the Underground Railway in the Dawn Settlement near Chatham.
Marcel Gelinas (http://marcelg.ca)
Adrian Torrington (http://atstudio.ca)
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Dawn, Canada
Torrington/Gelinas 2008
VERSE 1
before being sold to an Alabama master
Josiah's father bore a hundred lashes out
and his ear was nailed fast to a post where
it was cut off, just for him being too proud
VERSE 2
and some forty years later Jo fled to Ontario
to found a school where fugitives could go
for he once preached and served as an officer
and now he had his hands deep in lumber
CHORUS
for from the broken and lowly, to The Promised Land
we each fill life fully, of what we make it now demand
we each meet our needs, to the best of nature's plans
building up foundations, for freer futures, by hand
and Henson's dream of freedom at Dawn, Canada began
VERSE 3
and many others escaped the States,
on networks of houses safe,
by secret routes leading to sanctuary,
by stations Northern ways,
VERSE4
and they moved under night's veil,
via depots and real trains
but mainly by foot or wagon,
staying evasive on, indirect trails
CHORUS
for from the free and able, to the promised land
we each fill life faithful to what we make it now demand
we each meet our needs, to the best of nature's plans
building up foundations, for freer futures, by hand
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