Journey to Kairos

There are two kinds of time: CHRONOS, the daily ticking away of our lives, and KAIROS, the twilight between ourselves and the infinite. KAIROS is the place where time stands still, undefined. Ann Mortifee was born in South Africa and lived much of her childhood on a sugarcane farm in Zululand. From earliest memories of her nanny, Gausaulaulau, to more recent years spent travelling the world and living in wartorn Lebanon, this tape is a reflection of Ann's journeys through KAIROS.

LIST OF SONGS:

* GYPSY BORN

* ORIENTAL BREEZE

* GAUSAULAULAU

* TYGER! TYGER

* CENTAUR

* SHANKARANANDA

* STREETS OF BANARAS

* BEIRUT SONG

* IT'S IN EVERY ONE OF US

SIDE ONE

GYPSY BORN

By Ann Mortifee

She was born beside the seashore

And she always loved to roam

With that peculiar look of wonder in her eye

And she always loved the sunshine

Just as well she loved the rain

And soon she learned that her favourite word

Was why

Well 'round about September

Just about once a year

An old pedlar would come to the kitchen door

And his wrinkles held the ages

And his laughter caught the sun

And he'd smile and he'd wink

And he'd sing this song to her

You should have been gypsy born

Little one with the distant eyes

You should have been gypsy born

I feel the wind in your mind

A restless yearning for to find

The path that's wild

And will lead you past the sky

Well if you follow down the path

Of the lonesome seagull's call

You'll find your way, you'll find your way

Then he'd tell her tales of places

Of people and of things

Of those he'd loved and those he'd turned aside

And her eyes would seem to glisten

As she listened by his knee

Oh take me with you

Her heart used to cry

The day would pass, the evening come

And still they'd sit awhile

The old pedlar and the girl he loved so well

Then he'd get up from the back porch

And as he turned to walk away

In his smile she could hear that old man say

You should have been gypsy born...

( copyright Jabula Music 1976)

ORIENTAL BREEZE

By Ann Mortifee

And the plum trees are blooming every spring

And the mists are clinging in a ring

Around the valley's floor

As scores of plump round birds come winging home

It furthers one to cross the great water

It furthers one to cross the wide sea

It furthers one to cross o'er the mountain

In reverie

How gentle is the oriental breeze

How tender are the buds on trees

That sway beside the quiet stream

To dreams that sun-browned fishermen weave

It furthers one to seek a wise master

It furthers one to seek an old sage

It furthers one to know that your own heart

All things contain

( copyright Jabula Music 1979)

GAUSAULAULAU

By Ann Mortifee & Valley Hennell

Gausaulaulau

You were all of Africa to me

The sun, the shadow, and all the history

A warm cocoon of darkness

Much more than flesh and bone

Out there beyond your apron

Lay the vast unknown

Gausaulaulau

You were all of Africa to me

The strength, the stillness, and all the mystery

A rich cocoon of darkness

With you I never felt alone

But since I left your side

The world has never seemed like home

There in some dark valley

I was locked in fear

There was the whimpering of jackals

On the midnight air

But there's the soothing sound of ancient drumbeat

In your ear

As Gausaulaulau held you there

Gausaulaulau

You were all of Africa to me

The blood red soil, the taint of slavery

A prisoner in your native land

You kept life hidden from my eyes

With your future chained and bound

You were still teaching me to fly

Gausaulaulau

( copyright Jabula Music 1979)

TYGER, TYGER

By William Blake/Toni Tennille/

Ron Thronson

Tyger, tyger burning bright

In the forests of the night

What immortal hand or eye

Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

Tyger, tyger please beware

Of human creatures lurking there

Tyger, tyger burning bright

In the forests of the night

Did he smile his handiwork to see

Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

Tyger, tyger please beware

Of human creatures lurking there

Tyger, tyger burning bright

( copyright Cathryn T. Shearer & Ronald M Thronson

1971 Administered worldwide by Jabula Music)

CENTAUR

By Ann Mortifee)

The centaur is a strange creature

Torn in a paradox of ways

The centaur is a strange creature

A visionary with its feet locked in the sod

Part beast, part man, part god

We were both archers

Born to the bow

Men up above

Horses below

My nature was fire

And I learned all I could through desire

A beast of the dirt

Of the earth and the soil

My hooves drummed the ground

But I would not recoil

From the things that I knew

Or the things I knew not

When I'm touched by a mystery

My bow it grows taut

And I ride

Out through the night, through the dark

Out where my passions take spark

Out where the beast in me writhes and tumbles

I ride

In a thunder of dust cross the land

Waving my pride in my hand

Till I fall at your side

In a sweat of wonder

We were both archers

Born to the bow

Men up above

Horses below

And Jupiter ruled

And I learned all I could in his school

A man of the air

Of the sky and the sea

A man who forever was destined to be

Much more than just clay

And more than just flesh

A man who'd felt something

And could not find rest

Till he'd sailed

Out through the night, through the air

Out where the man in me strives and reaches

I sail

In a shower of light through the sky

With a fire of light in each eye

Till I tumble to rest on a crest of wonder

Much more than just archers

Born to the bow

More than men up above

And horses below

My arrow she aims at a point past the sky

And I in my holiness know I can fly

And I fly

Out beyond the air

Out where all thoughts disappear

Out where the God in me shines and wonders

I fly

In a shower of light through one eye

As I watch the earth fade and die

Till I come to rest on the sound of wonder

AUM

( copyright Jabula Music 1976)

SIDE TWO

SHANKARANANDA

By Ann Mortifee

It's late in the night and I wake from a haunting dream

The house it is dark yet the phantoms can still be seen

He beckons me to follow to the land where Shiva reigns

The Ganges flows on eastward o'er the sun-parched plains

The sun comes down, the sun goes up again

The seasons roll in droughts and floods of rain

Men are praying god the harvest

With the knowledge in their eyes

The crops when they are gathered won't keep them all alive

Oh Shankarananda...

Thousands birth, thousands pass away

And in between they search to ease their way

There's hunger of the body, there's hunger in the mind

The young they want more money

And the old they want more time

But in between you hear the pleas

The chorus wailing out their needs

Give me health, give me wealth, give me strength,

give me peace

Give me joy, give me faith, give me hope, give me grace

Give me love, give me life, give me truth, give me ease

Fruit, give me meat, give me drinks that are sweet

Give me sun, give me rain, give me moon, give me stars

Cars, give me clothes, give me silver and gold

Warmth, give me song, a place to belong

But noone asks what they can bring

Oh Shankarananda...

( copyright Jabula Music 1979)

STREETS OF BANARAS

By Ann Mortifee

I searched for you today in streets, I wandered up

and down

Through the dust filled morning of the yawning town

I wondered how you would appear if I but saw you there

Or would you disappear as soon as I drew near

Are you this man who bends his face into a frown

Or this youth whose features laugh and dance around

Are you this frilly girl with ribbons in your hair

Or this crippled boy, limbs twisted, bent and bare

The sun comes up across the hill and spills along

the street

The fingers of the heat reach out to wake the people

to their feet

The lanes are full of charcoal fires brewing morning tea

But every hut in which I look it's just your face I seek

Is it you who calls from yonder stall to wave your

wares at me

In sari wrought of green and gold you stroll most regally

You leap full high upon the cart to lift your sack of grain

I see the strain of nerves and oh I marvel at your frame

Life is good, life is sad

Life is fine, life is mad

Life is sweet, life is cruel

Life is grand and plays us all the fool

I hear your voice a thousand times in curses and

in prayers

In idle chatter by the way, in men who vend their wares

In dogs that bark, in birds that sing, in the ring of

temple bells

In the drip of taps and the roll of wheels and in the

river when it swells

I searched for you today in streets, I wandered up

and down

Into the dust filled evening of the sleeping town

Round and round I went searching endlessly

But every face in which I looked your eyes peered

back at me

(copyright Jabula Music 1979)

BEIRUT SONG

By Ann Mortifee

Take me to the riverside

Cast me to the sea

Let me drift out with the tide

To cleanse the memory

Of mothers searching skyward

Their infants in their arms

Keep us from harm

Save us from harm

Death stalks on the street below

Flames lick at the sky

Sirens sound a symphony

In a long and mournful cry

Young boys lie still and lifeless

With nothing in their eyes

But wild surprise

Father in heaven, we're calling on your name

That we may be victorious

Though hell may bar the way

Praise to Mohammed, To Allah the only god

We will spread thy glory

In tears, in pain, and in blood

Praise to the father, the son, the spirit above

We will smite with death all those

Who don't believe in Jesus' love

Oh my soul

Sit quiet on this winter's night

There is no truth in wrong and right

Oh my soul

The anguish in the streets below

Is echoed on from long ago

The play goes on, the spiral turns

And hearts will break and mend and burn

Oh my soul

Sit quiet on this winter's night

There is no truth in wrong and right

Death stalks on the streets below

Flames lick at the sky

Sirens sound a symphony

In a long and mournful cry

Young boys lie still and lifeless

With nothing in their eyes

But wild surprise

(copyright Jabula Music 1979)

IT'S IN EVERY ONE OF US

By David Pomeranz

It's in every one of us to be wise

Find your heart and open up both your eyes

We can all know everything without ever knowing why

It's in every one of us by and by

It's in very one of us, I just remembered

It seems I've been sleeping for years

I'm not awake as I can be but my seeing's better

I can see through the tears

I've been realizing that I bought this ticket

When I'm only watching half of the show

But there are scenery and lights and a cast of

thousands

Who all know what I know

And it's good that it's so

It's in every one of us to be wise

Find your heart and open up both your eyes

We can all know everything without ever knowing why

It's in every one of us by and by

JOURNEY TO KAIROS CD by ANN MORTIFEE

LIST OF SONGS: * GYPSY BORN * ORIENTAL BREEZE * GAUSAULAULAU * TYGER! TYGER * CENTAUR * SHANKARANANDA * STREETS OF BANARAS * BEIRUT SONG * IT'S IN EVERY ONE OF US

SIDE ONE

GYPSY BORN

By Ann Mortifee

She was born beside the seashore

And she always loved to roam

With that peculiar look of wonder in her eye

And she always loved the sunshine

Just as well she loved the rain

And soon she learned that her favourite word

Was why

Well 'round about September

Just about once a year

An old pedlar would come to the kitchen door

And his wrinkles held the ages

And his laughter caught the sun

And he'd smile and he'd wink

And he'd sing this song to her

You should have been gypsy born

Little one with the distant eyes

You should have been gypsy born

I feel the wind in your mind

A restless yearning for to find

The path that's wild

And will lead you past the sky

Well if you follow down the path

Of the lonesome seagull's call

You'll find your way, you'll find your way

Then he'd tell her tales of places

Of people and of things

Of those he'd loved and those he'd turned aside

And her eyes would seem to glisten

As she listened by his knee

Oh take me with you

Her heart used to cry

The day would pass, the evening come

And still they'd sit awhile

The old pedlar and the girl he loved so well

Then he'd get up from the back porch

And as he turned to walk away

In his smile she could hear that old man say

You should have been gypsy born...

( copyright Jabula Music 1976)

ORIENTAL BREEZE

By Ann Mortifee

And the plum trees are blooming every spring

And the mists are clinging in a ring

Around the valley's floor

As scores of plump round birds come winging home

It furthers one to cross the great water

It furthers one to cross the wide sea

It furthers one to cross o'er the mountain

In reverie

How gentle is the oriental breeze

How tender are the buds on trees

That sway beside the quiet stream

To dreams that sun-browned fishermen weave

It furthers one to seek a wise master

It furthers one to seek an old sage

It furthers one to know that your own heart

All things contain

( copyright Jabula Music 1979)

GAUSAULAULAU

By Ann Mortifee & Valley Hennell

Gausaulaulau

You were all of Africa to me

The sun, the shadow, and all the history

A warm cocoon of darkness

Much more than flesh and bone

Out there beyond your apron

Lay the vast unknown

Gausaulaulau

You were all of Africa to me

The strength, the stillness, and all the mystery

A rich cocoon of darkness

With you I never felt alone

But since I left your side

The world has never seemed like home

There in some dark valley

LIST OF SONGS:

* GYPSY BORN

* ORIENTAL BREEZE

* GAUSAULAULAU

* TYGER! TYGER

* CENTAUR

* SHANKARANANDA

* STREETS OF BANARAS

* BEIRUT SONG

* IT'S IN EVERY ONE OF US