A Puppet Can Only Warn

A puppet can only warn!
Only warn! Only warn!

A puppet can only warn!
Love must do the rest!

We came with painted faces,
We came with wooden hands,
We came with songs and trembling bells
To tell you where you stand—

Tell us where we stand!
Tell us where we stand!

The stage is burning, children—
The curtains soaked in lies,
The kings still wave from gilded thrones
While smoke and lies fill the sky
What fills your sky?
Are you asking why?

A puppet can only warn!
A puppet can only warn!

It cannot make you turn—
It cannot lift your scorn!

A puppet can only warn!
A puppet can only warn!

Love must move your feet now!
Love must be reborn!

You laughed when the strings were showing—
Strings were showing!

You clapped when the children cried—
You scrolled online while children died.

You called the warning “theater”—
While the truth outside died!

A puppet can only warn!
A puppet can only warn!

The drum is in your chest now—
Why do you still perform?

We carved our mouths from sorrow—
Carved our mouths from sorrow!

We carved our eyes from grief—
Carved our eyes from grief!

We learned to speak what flesh forgot—
Bring the truth! Bring relief!

We are not here for mockery—
Not for mockery!

We are not here for show—
Not for show!

We are the last silent witnesses
Before the sirens blow—
Before the sirens blow!
Before the sirens blow!

A puppet can only warn!
A puppet can only warn!

It sees the fire early—
It feels the breaking form!

A puppet can only warn!
A puppet can only warn!

If love don’t take the wheel now,
The world will meet the storm!

So rise, you breathing people—
Rise in Love! Rise! Rise! Rise!

Untie the fear inside—
Untie the fear and lies!

The strings were never sacred—
Cut them loose tonight!

If the puppet starts to weep—
Hear the warning cry!

Then love must leave the theater—
And then organize, organize, organize!

A puppet can only warn!
A puppet can only warn!

It cannot make the tyrants yield—
It cannot heal the torn—
It cannot stop the drones and missiles
It cannot stop the lies
But love can break the engine!
Love can rewrite the form!

A puppet can only warn!
A puppet can only warn!
A puppet can only warn!

Love must do the rest!
Love must do the rest!

A prophet can cry out—
Love must do the rest!

Sirens can warn the innocent—
Love must do the rest!

If truth has opened the door—
Love must do the rest!

If the stage is burnin’—
Love must do the rest!

If the tyrants tremble—
Love must do the rest!

If the lie is broken—
Love must do the rest!

If the people are awakening—
Love must do the rest!

Not fear—
Love must do the rest!

Not hate—
Love must do the rest!

Not greed—
Love must do the rest!

Not domination—
Love must do the rest!

Not one more throne of madness—
Love must do the rest!

Love in the body—
Do the rest!

Love in the street—
Do the rest!

Love in the kitchen—
Do the rest!

Love in the school—
Do the rest!

Love in the science—
Do the rest!

Love in the law—
Do the rest!

Love in the system!
Love in the soul!

Love in the broken places—
Make the whole thing whole!

Truth can name the wound—
Love must do the rest!

Art can light the fuse—
Love must do the rest!

The drum can call the people—
Love must do the rest!

Now stomp it in the earth—
Love must do the rest!

Who will feed the hungry?
Love must do the rest!

Who will stop the cruelty?
Love must do the rest!

Who will break the engine?
Love must do the rest!

Who will build the new world?
WE must do the rest!

Love must do the rest!
Love must do the rest!

Not tomorrow—
Not someday—

Love must do the rest!
Love must do the rest!
Love must do the rest!

Hands to the future—
Feet to the truth—
Love must do the rest!

A puppet can only warn!
A witness can only cry!
A bell can only ring!
A song can only rise!
But when the people remember
What love came here to bless—
The world begins again…
And love…
And love…
And love…
And love…
And love…
And love…