Forgotten Dreams

C. 2001 Jackie Tice/Saja Maka Music (BMI)

The faces of the women
All standing in a line
Their dresses hanging lifeless
On their shapeless body lines

Their eyes so full of anger
Bellies full of fear
The droning of their voices
Is all that they can hear

Praying to the statues
Barren, concrete eyes
Bells sounding in the towers
Ringing Sunday hymns and lies

Magdalene
Shame dressed up like charity
Locked up with their rosaries
And forgotten dreams

Some of them cradle babies
While others cradle wounds
Crusty fingers bleeding out the
Screams that they subdue

Robed devils roam the convent
Decide on which of them feed
Ironic filthy fate
For the women of the Laundries

Praying to the statues
Barren, concrete eyes
Bells sounding in the towers
Ringing Sunday hymns and lies

Magdalene
Shame dressed up like charity
Locked up with their rosaries
And forgotten dreams

Rachel was a dancer
Until her cousin raped her
And she was sent away

Annie had three sisters
And a mother prone to liquor
All their names were changed

When they were sent away…

Now they’re…

Praying to the statues
Barren, concrete eyes
Bells sounding in the towers
Ringing Sunday hymns and lies

Magdalene
Shame dressed up like charity
Locked up with their rosaries
And forgotten dreams