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JOAN ON FIRE
Libretto
1. Anthem (instrumental)
2. Love Magnificent
Choro:
The rain has held
Back for days and days in my arid heart,
That I want thee,
Come upon me with a burst of singing.
Rest awhile in love magnificent
And leave the worries and cares
Of this world behind.
Rest awhile, O rest awhile and let love magnify thee.
3. O, the Flame
Choro:
The wings of the angels
Arise on the warm air,
The currents are lifting them
Higher and higher.
Attracted to the flicker,
They're drawn to the fire
And caught in the vortex
As my wild wood burns.
O, they love the flame
O, the flame.
Joan:
Throw on more timber,
Build up the pyre,
Make it much hotter,
I've got to reach them.
Choro:
They're singing, they're calling,
They're playing, they're falling,
They're pleading, I know that
They want me to come.
O, they love the flame
O, the flame.
Angels, angels, angels.
Angels, angels, angels.
4. Joan - the Voices
Joan (with Choro):
I was just thirteen
When the voices came to me.
I was tending father's sheep
Down by the village stream.
I saw a mighty vision,
My head held to the ground.
I head the sound of angels,
Some were winged and some were crowned.
'Joan . . .' the voices,
They cry to me.
My mind received impressions
As the angel spoke to me:
'Daughter of God, now you must go,
And by your side, I shall be.
You must raise a Holy Army,
You must fight a Holy War."
The angel thus commanded me
And led me to the Sword.
The light in the spirit of man
Is equal to the light
In the spirit of woman -
Both are equal in God's sight.
'Joan . . .' the voices,
They cry to me.
I neither acted like a woman,
Nor I talked as the women talked.
I wore the clothes of a man
And I walked as a soldier walked.
I rode the strongest horses,
I had knowledge of the Amazon.
I was wounded in the breast by arrows
But I continued to fight on.
My picture was put in churches
As I freed my native land.
Medals were struck in my image,
Followers kissed my hand.
'Joan . . . ' the voices,
They cry to me.
5. La Pucelle (instrumental)
6. Joan on Fire
Joan (with Choro):
I, Joan am on fire,
With God fever,
In a cell, one moment,
In an oasis, the next.
A chain of flames
Binding me, cutting my ankles
And lifting me up.
The world is reversed,
So reversed to me.
First, the spark,
And then, the flames,
Soon the embers
'Till the ash remains.
I, Joan am on fire.
My flesh decays,
A glorious fire,
A hurricane into thine arms.
Where dost thou lead me?
I hold to thy burning hand
And I shall have faith in thee.
The world is reversed,
So reversed to me.
Is this smouldering
Flesh heaven?
Am I burning love letters
To thee?
Oh, God is that you?
God, is that you?
Who cares how cold the world,
If thou be inside me?
I am so wet with longing . . . . .
Oh, God is that you?
God, is that you,
Whispering: 'O my love . . ."?
I hear thee, oh my love,
Oh God, is that you?
Sweet tears . . . . sweet drops . . .
Your cool breath upon my sunburnt skin,
Such kisses lead into unconsciousness . . .
First, the spark,
And then, the flames,
Soon the embers
'Till the ash remains.
7. O the Flame (reprise)
Joan:
This little moth
Is destroyed by the kisses
And breath of the passion
That lifts up my soul.
Choro:
The roar of the wings
In my ears
As the angels draw near
Is much louder
Than the hollers
Of the crowd.
O, they love the flame
O, the flame.
O, they love the flame
O, the flame.
8. Flaming Sword
Angel of Light:
I, who am appointed
Guardian of high heaven's gate,
In righteous crusade
Against this angelic rebel
Whom God did create.
Sounding the archangel trumpet,
The armies I lead
To curtail this anarchic foe
Who is our enemy.
Joan, to my arms you must fly . . . .
Angel of Shadow:
No, with violence and vengeance
Did God condemn me to this hell.
I learned my war-like ability
From God who taught me well.
Who am I but merely the shadow
Cast by God's wrath?
These feet of flame,
He so graciously
Put on this path.
Joan, to my arms you must fly . . . .
Light and Shadow:
Joan, to my arms you must fly . . . .
Choro:
Hold on, to that sword,
That precious flaming sword,
Keep your hands on that Sword,
Now, hold on . . .
Joan:
There is in my heart,
A burning fire
And I'm weary of holding it in
And I cannot.
To be daring
And absolutely fearless
Knowing that nothing's
Impossible with God.
Angel of Light:
This flaming sword,
Given you by the Lord
Whom you embrace
Was wielded by me
'Causing darkness to flee
From God's grace,
This burning shield
Guarding you with the steel
Of God's Will.
My hand in yours
Made his victory secure
On that Hill.
Joan, to my arms you must fly . . . .
Angel of Shadow:
No, that sword in your hand
Was the same one
Commanding your brother, Cain.
The glorious blade
By which severance was made
Of Heaven's chain.
That weapon of fire
Freeing me from the mire
Of the Fool.
It's served you so well
As your enemies fell
To your rule.
Light and Shadow:
Joan, to my arms you must fly . . . .
Choro:
Hold on, to that sword,
That precious flaming sword,
Keep your hands on that Sword,
Now, hold on . . .
Joan:
There is in my heart,
A burning fire
And I'm weary of holding it in
And I cannot.
To be daring
And absolutely fearless
Knowing that nothing's
Impossible with God.
9. Angel Rising
Joan:
Can I forgive sin?
Can I forgive hate?
Can I take them in?
Can I bear the weight?
To open my heart
With grace and humility . . .
How is it possible
To love my enemy?
Can I give back love?
Can I turn my cheek?
Can I rise above?
What will others think?
To open my eyes
And really see . . .
How is it possible
To love my enemy?
Joan ( with Choro):
Angel, rising in my soul,
Press on towards the goal,
Forgetting what's behind me.
Straining toward what lay ahead,
To the prize I'm led
To that which God has called me.
I long for the light
That shines up above
With the promise of
The brighter day.
With the human family
At last in peace and love
Is it possible
To live that way?
Choro:
Press on, press on.
Joan (with Choro):
Angel, rising in my soul,
Press on towards the goal,
Forgetting what's behind me.
Straining toward what lay ahead,
To the prize I'm led
To that which God has called me.
10 Joan - the Voices
(reprise)
Joan:
I was then accused
Of magic and sorcery,
I was tried
At a trial of faith
Where they excommunicated me.
They said that I invoked the demons
Of a relapsed heretic,
But I was caught up
In the lime
Of church and sexual politics.
They shaved my head
When they burned me,
All my loyal soldiers wept.
Some say they saw,
With my last dying breath,
A dove rising from my breast.
'Joan . . . . .'
The voices, they cry to me . . . .
The light in the spirit of man
Is equal to the light
Shining in the spirit of woman,
Both are equal in God's sight.
11. Prelude (instrumental)
12. I am Thine and Thou Art Mine
Joan:
Many waters cannot quench my love,
But neither can the floods drown my love.
Kiss me with the kisses of thy mouth.
Thou hast ravished me, my sister, O my spouse.
I am thine and thou art mine.
Behold, thou art so fair, my love,
How much sweeter is thy love than wine.
Now I sleep but my heart waketh,
For thine eyes have overcome me.
You cause the lips of one that sleeps to speaketh,
Draw me and I will run after thee.
I am thine and thou art mine.
I am thine and thou art mine.
Behold, thou art so fair, my love,
How much sweeter is thy love than wine.
Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet.
Where hast thou gone, O my beloved?
Now that I am so lovesick . . .
I am thine and thou art mine.
I am thine and thou art mine.
Behold, thou art so fair, my love,
How much sweeter is thy love than wine.
13. Love Magnificent (reprise)
Choro:
All that is harsh
And dissonant in my life
Melts into
Sweet harmony,
That I love thee,
My heart longs
To join with thee
In thy song.
Rest awhile in love magnificent
And leave the worries and cares
Of this world behind.
Rest awhile, O rest awhile and let love magnify thee.
Rest awhile, O rest awhile and let love magnify thee.
14. La Flamme Renaissante
(instrumental)
(composed 1994, revised libretto 2007)
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