Man in the Sun
MAN IN THE SUN
(written by Kenneth Cope)
—for Dad—
High above the veiled horizon
Stronger than the face of lightning
His work never done
Shines the Man in the sun
Papa was a good man, poor man
But wished he were a good man, rich man
Ever admiring the shine in this world of ours
But Papa couldn’t hold his fortune
Faced the day with hands wide open
Gave it away
As fast as it came along
He’d light up the day
He’d warm up the night
Wherever the deed needed done
He’d carry the flame
Till he’d run out of fire
Climb in his plane, and fly to the Man in the sun
Papa loved granting favors
Digging deep for friends and strangers
He’d give his last dime, but never run short on love
He’d shine at one on one encounters
And now beyond his final hour
Remembering the man has the power to urge me on
He taught me
Love is what we are
—I can still hear . . . Look in their eyes, Son
Don’t hold back your heart
—I can still hear . . . Remember me, Son
When I’m dead and gone
—I can still hear . . . I’ll be watching
So take the flame and carry on
He’d light up the day
He’d warm up the night
Wherever the deed needed done
Now he’s passed on the flame
And vanished from sight
I’m going to light up the day
And warm up the night
Wherever the deed needs done
Going to give it away
Till the day that I die
Then it’s back to you Papa
I’m going to follow you Papa
Home to the Man in the sun
Papa’s now a rich man
© 1998 Mohrgüd Music (BMI)
1. Man in the Sun
Kenneth Cope
Ondi-Ahman
ONDI-AHMAN
(written by Kenneth Cope)
Nothing like the life they had in Eden
Strangers to the place they knew so well
Dark and dreary veils the eye
The flowers fade and die
Sweat now stains the bread obtained from heaven
Callused hands must work the earthen plain
Time to settle in and pray
And await another day
Banished beneath the stars so far away
Ondi-Ahman—ondi-Ahman
Left to reap what’s sown
In their valley home
Ondi-Ahman
Ondi-Ahman—ondi-Ahman
Trusting He will come
Ondi-Ahman
Their daily dress reminds them of lost innocence
And growing old just speaks of dust that must return
Still their hearts have felt to sing
Since their eyes began to see
Together they take the bitter with the sweet
Ondi-Ahman—ondi-Ahman
Left to reap what’s sown
In their valley home
Ondi-Ahman
Ondi-Ahman—ondi-Ahman
Trusting He will come
Ondi-Ahman
They await the Child of promise
To grace their flesh and blood
Like an unshaken anchor
They’re trusting He will come
To reconcile the exiled
And repair what they’ve undone
He will come—see Him come
Ondi-Ahman—ondi-Ahman
Eye to eye
In the dazzling light
Ondi-Ahman
Ondi-Ahman—ondi-Ahman
To hear the words “Well done”
Ondi-Ahman—ondi-Ahman
Face to face
In the gathering place
Ondi-Ahman
Ondi-Ahman—ondi-Ahman
Look again for them to come
Ondi-Ahman
© 1998 Mohrgüd Music (BMI)
2. Ondi-Ahman
Kenneth Cope
Love Is
LOVE IS
(written by Kenneth Cope)
A warming fire in the dead of winter
A cooling water in the desert land
Light to every shadow
Love is
Consolation in the prison chamber
Splashing color ’cross the gloomy gray
Shelter in the whirlwind
Love is
Love is
Pure as the days of childhood
True as the northern star
Wide as the walls of heaven
Love is
Love, walk with me so the grass grows greener
Love, stand by me so the sky blows clear
King to every reason
Love is
Love is
Pure as the days of childhood
True as the northern star
Wide as the walls of heaven
Love is
Love is—love is
You and I know just what love is
True love is pure love is His love
True love is pure love is His love
His love is love
Bearing the burden though the shoulders falter
Facing the battle as we lie asleep
Defender of the helpless
Love is
His love is
Pure as the days of childhood
True as the northern star
Wide as the walls of heaven
Love is
His love is
Deep as the reach of mercy
Brave as the yielding prayer
Strong as the grasp of Jesus
Love is
Love is
His love is
© 1998 Mohrgüd Music (BMI)
3. Love Is
Kenneth Cope
Eden's Garden
EDEN’S GARDEN
(written by Kenneth Cope)
—for Eden—
Born in the fall of ’92
On the evening of a crimson moon
Bringing paradise to all we knew
We named her Eden
It wasn’t long before her soul would wake
Nature blooming in her face
We cleared for her a garden place
And called it Eden
All for Eden
So we plant and tend
And watch her changing
Waiting on the Vine
Never trifling with the giving of our time
Then the Master of the harvest
Turns our watering into wine
Sweetest joy of our lives
Eden’s garden
Halos ’round her chestnut hair
And midnight eyes that take us there
We wonder how we ever fared
To care for Eden
Born in a land of briers and thorns
Torn by hate and drowned in war
We would feel the earth bow down and mourn
And cry for Eden
She cries for Eden
So we plant and tend
And watch her changing
Waiting on the Vine
Never trifling with the giving of our time
Then the Master of the harvest
Turns our watering into wine
Sweetest joy of our lives
Eden’s garden
An angel has come to stay with us
Play with us
Pray with us
A little child shall lead them
And though we know she won’t belong to us
She’s here to teach her song to us
Eden
Our eyes on Eden
We look to Eden
We live for Eden
© 1998 Mohrgüd Music (BMI)
4. Eden's Garden
Kenneth Cope
Old Eyes
OLD EYES
(written by Kenneth Cope)
—for Hannah and Eliza—
Down from safe mountain
To valleys harsh and dry
You’ve come ’cross the canyon
To help us through the night
And shine a little light
We’ve long since forgotten
The homeland left behind
But you in your newness
Remain its surest sign
Child, fresh from forever
Baby, royal design
The road winds slow
As wild winds blow us over
And dreams threaten wings of good-bye
But you remind
Of days gone by
Tell us your secrets
Share your secrets
Old eyes
It’s keeping us reaching
Forging holy ties
And trying to be like you
We pierce the hidden white
Child, sent from forever
Baby, open our eyes
The road winds slow
As wild winds blow us over
And dreams threaten wings of good-bye
But you remind
Of days gone by
Tell us your secrets
Share your secrets
Old eyes
Remember your secrets
Treasured secrets
Old eyes
© 1998 Mohrgüd Music (BMI)
5. Old Eyes
Kenneth Cope & Katherine Nelson
Round We Go
ROUND WE GO
(written by Kenneth Cope)
Wheels keep turning
Winter bows to spring
Blossoms burning
From summer’s crippling heat
Change remains the constant scene
Who can elude it
Who’ll escape the sting
Joy and laughter
As rain falls from the sky
The thirsty gather
While the skeptic steps inside
Well, take your chances and let it ride
Or satisfy your lacking
And store some more besides
Before the riverbeds run dry
Round we go
For the ride of our lives
The highs and the lows
To the left or the right
Hot to cold
Clay to gold
Round we go
Continuation
Sinai stays ablaze
Illumination
Through the thorny maze
But there’s trouble in the camp today
Some are heading back to Pharaoh
For separation shade
From the mountain’s fiery gaze
Round we go
For the ride of our lives
The highs and the lows
To the left or the right
Hot to cold
Clay to gold
Round we go
We’re all in the circle
But where in the circle?
© 1998 Mohrgüd Music (BMI)
6. Round We Go
Kenneth Cope
Andrea
ANDREA
(written by Kenneth Cope)
—for Andrea Goodman and family—
Andrea—you wear the smile of paradise
Andrea—you see beyond the stars
Ever reminding me that angels aren’t that far
My Andrea
Andrea—you wear the wings of innocence
It’s like you don’t belong here on the ground
But then there might be some of us who’d never reach the clouds
Without Andrea
And if day turns into gray
If hope hides far away
I know an angel I can go to for a smile
And that haze that has me blind
Will fade from my mind
Just from the thought of you
My Andrea
Andrea—you’re hoping for a better world
You long to be with Jesus in the sky
And I believe you’re going to see what you desire
My Andrea
Andrea—we feared that we had lost you
Gone without a chance to say “Good-bye”
But thanks to God you’ve come back to stay a while
My Andrea
And if day turns into gray
If hope hides far away
I know an angel I can go to for a smile
And that haze that has me blind
Will fade from my mind
Just from the thought of you
My Andrea
When day turns into gray
When hope hides far away
Then I remember how I feel when you are near
And my heart starts to rise
And light fills these eyes
All from the thought of you
From the love of you
My Andrea
Andrea—teach me the smile of paradise
© 1998 Mohrgüd Music (BMI)
7. Andrea
Kenneth Cope
Trail of Tears
TRAIL OF TEARS
(written by Kenneth Cope)
Under heavens afire
Or wilderness skies
It’s calling me
Calling me
Like an old trusted friend
Reeling me in
It keeps calling me
Calling me
Every jolt, every turn
While the blisters might burn
It’s calling me
Calling me
As I wade through the curse
Afraid for the worst
It keeps calling me
Calling me
If I live—if I die
There’s forever
I can’t let fear cloud my life
And hide the splendor
Through the seasons of rain
And rocky terrain
One thing comes clear
As I widen my view
There’s flowers in bloom
Lining my way
Along the trail of tears
Though I’m stung by the grave
My heart about to break
It’s calling me
Still calling me
From the falls to the rise
I’m in for the climb
’Cause joy’s calling me
Calling me
If we live—if we die
There’s forever
Every smile has its price
Come surrender
Through the seasons of rain
And rocky terrain
One thing comes clear
As I widen my view
There’s flowers in bloom
Lining my way
Along the trail of tears
© 1998 Mohrgüd Music (BMI)
8. Trail of Tears
Kenneth Cope
How Could I Have Known?
HOW COULD I HAVE KNOWN?
(written by Kenneth Cope)
—for Kathy—
Chasing a star
Running long, running hard
Trying to put me a face with a dream
So elusive it had been
Again and again
I’d about given up on the game
But then the slightest chance that I might suit you
And I came calling to recruit you
Well, I struck gold that day
When you took my name
And gave yourself to me
Was it lucky this time
Or some higher design
Steered by Masterful Hands on the wheel?
’Cause I’m amazed at the way it’s unfolding
It’s like I managed to choose what was chosen
I come to you and you come to me
As love is set in stone
It’s now beyond my wildest dreams
With forever left to go
How could I have known?
It’s an uncertain road
’Cause when there’s two, who can know
If love will still bloom in the fall
And yet, look where we’ve come
How the years have made us one
And your smile was the start of it all
And you continue to wow and surprise me
All the treasures you’ve been hiding
I come to you and you come to me
As love is set in stone
It’s now beyond my wildest dreams
With forever left to go
How could I have known?
Right from the start
I’m richer by far
And every day together
Makes a better me
I come to you and you come to me
As love is set in stone
It’s now beyond my wildest dreams
With forever left to go
How could I have known?
© 1998 Mohrgüd Music (BMI)
9. How Could I Have Known?
Kenneth Cope
Man to Man
MAN TO MAN
(written by Kenneth Cope)
Holy heart in holy heaven
Shaped this house of clay
Formed this soul—a mirror image
To carry on His name
Earthly heart with earthly treasure
Gone and lost its way
Wooed by sight’s deceiving measure
Followed long in vain
It’s change I’m seeking
To wake from sleeping
And stage a meeting
Till our hearts are beating as one
Reach me, find me
Lift and light me
Groom me, guide me
Man to man
Work me, try me
Gold refine me
Transform who I am
From man to Man
To try these shoes before I wore them
And know they’re prone to stray
To dive beneath these fatal waters
And claim the captive prey
Today I’m pleading
For favor and healing
So chains won’t keep me
From our hearts beating as one
Reach me, find me
Lift and light me
Groom me, guide me
Man to man
Work me, try me
Gold refine me
Transform who I am
From man to Man
Like Father, like Son
Why I was begun
Take me to the high road
And point me to the perfect day to come
Finish what love began
Change me from man to Man
© 1998 Mohrgüd Music (BMI)
10. Man to Man
Kenneth Cope
