Inspiration for the Muse

[Josette Wheeler]

“Música para Despertar” —Music to Awaken

[Canaan]

Waves by Luke Bryan

It's like the sun went down just to frame your face
Like they played that song just to see you sway
Like that old surf shop had you in mind
With what you got on, making those tan lines

It's like the ocean knows we're laying
On this beach tonight
It's like the sand's been waiting
For you to come alive 'cause

You were made for summer
Just like these stars we're under
Were made for lighting this July sky up
Blanket down, made for me and you tied up
All night long, over and over
Crash into me and pull me closer
Kiss by kiss, one after another

Don't let go, baby let this summer
Just keep on coming in waves
Keep coming in waves
Keep on coming in waves
Keep coming in waves

Wish I could bottle up the taste on your lips
That margarita salt water sunburned sip
It's like I feel that sun right next to me
Yeah, boy your touch is a hundred degrees

Boardwalks were made for dancing
And flip flops were made to lose like
This night was meant to happen
And boy I was made for you like

You were made for summer
Just like these stars we're under
Were made for lighting this July sky up
Blanket down made for me and you tied up
All night long, over and over
Crash into me and pull me closer
Kiss by kiss, one after another

Don't let go, baby let this summer
Just keep on coming in waves
Keep coming in waves
Keep on coming in waves
Keep coming in waves

Keep on coming in waves
Keep coming in waves
Keep on coming in waves
Keep coming in waves
Baby

You were made for summer
Just like these stars we're under
Were made for lighting this July sky up
Blanket down made for me and you tied up
All night long, over and over
Crash into me and pull me closer
Kiss by kiss, one after another
Don't let go, baby let this summer

Just keep on coming in waves
Keep coming in waves
Keep on coming in waves
Keep coming in waves

[Canaan]

Ocean by John Butler

I've had this song nestled in my pocket since shortly after I started writing with Isaac. I knew from the get-go that it was a song I would work into a story someday, but I wanted to wait for the perfect opportunity to present itself. And now, a year later, it's all come together. I wrote this piece two months ago and had it posted elsewhere, but was recently encouraged to share it here. Major kudos to those in charge of the Pride Week events this year; y'all gave me the perfect inspiration to bring my vision to life.

[Josette Wheeler]

Take Me To The World

“Let me see the world with clouds
Take me to the world
Out where I can push through crowds
Take me to the world
A world that smiles
With streets instead of aisles
Where I can walk for miles with you
Take me to the world that's real
Show me how it's done
Teach me how to laugh, to feel
Move me to the sun
Just hold my hand whenever we arrive
Take me to a world where I can be alive!

Him: The world is better here. I know. I've seen them both.

Let me see the world that smiles. Take me to the world. Somewhere I can walk for miles…take me to the world. With all around things growing in the ground. Where birds that make a sound are birds. Let me see the world that's real…

Him: I have seen the world…

Show me how it's done.

Him: And it's mean and ugly.

Teach me how to laugh, to feel…

Him: We could laugh together here…

Move me to the sun.

Him: Stay here with me.

Just hold my hand whenever we arrive…

Him: I love you. But be happy here. Stay with me.

Any other world will do…

Him: Stay with me…

Take me to a world where I can be alive!

What kind of life is this? We'll become just like the people here.

Him: Do you want the world?
Well then, you shall have the world
Ask me for the world again
You shall have the world
A world of skies
That's bursting with surprise
To open up your eyes for joy
We shall see the world come true
We shall have the world

I won't be afraid with you
We shall have the world…

Both: You'll hold my hand and know you're not alone
You shall have the world to keep
Such a lovely world you'll weep
We shall have the world forever… for our own.”

-Stephen Sondheim

[Canaan]

Heart Beat Here by Dashboard Confessionals

Come on home and let yourself heal
You could sleep for a thousand years
I won't let you disappear
Let your heart beat here

You've been running far and wide
Doing what you hope is right
Chasing what you feel inside
And I will take your path as mine

I feel it in my ribs
Feel it in my soul
The pulse just grows
So loud and so clear
Let your heart beat here
Let your heart beat here

Winter's come to take me away
I wear my ring to know what's at stake
And when the day's work at their own pace
You remain my time and place

I feel it in my ribs
Feel it in my soul
The pulse just grows
So loud and so clear
Let your heart beat here
So loud and so clear
Let your heart beat here
Yeah, let your heart beat here

We found our way past our youthful fears
And fought our way through the pain and tears
And we drove our stakes in the place most dear
And let our hearts beat

I feel it in my ribs
Feel it in my soul
The pulse just grows
So loud and so clear
Let your heart beat here
So loud and so clear
Let your heart beat here
Yeah, let your heart beat here
Let your heart beat here

[Josette Wheeler]

Dream

I was a little girl
Alone in my little world
Who dreamed of a little home for me
I played pretend between the trees
And fed my house guests bark and leaves
And laughed in my pretty bed of green
I had a dream
That I could fly from the highest swing
I had a dream
Long walks in the dark through woods grown behind the park
I asked God who I'm supposed to be
The stars smiled down on me
God answered in silent reverie
I said a prayer and fell asleep
I had a dream
That I could fly from the highest tree
I had a dream
Now I'm old and feeling gray
I don't know what's left to say about this life I'm willing to leave
I lived it full and I lived it well
There's many tales I lived to tell
I'm ready now, I'm ready now
I'm ready now to fly from the highest wing…

I had a dream.

-Priscilla Ahn

[Josette Wheeler]

Fields of Gold

You'll remember me when the west wind moves
Upon the fields of barley
You'll forget the sun in his jealous sky
As we walk in fields of gold
So she took her love
For to gaze a while
Upon the fields of barley
In his arms she fell as her hair came down
Among the fields of gold
Will you stay with me?
Will you be my love?
Upon the fields of barley
We'll forget the sun in his jealous sky
As we lie in fields of gold
See the west wind move like a lover so
Upon the fields of barley
Feel her body rise when you kiss her mouth
Among the fields of gold
I never made promises lightly
And there have been some that I've broken
But I swear in the days still left
We'll walk in fields of gold
We'll walk in fields of gold
Many years have passed since those summer days
Among the fields of barley
See the children run as the sun goes down
Among the fields of gold
You'll remember me when the west wind moves
Upon the fields of barley
You can tell the sun in his jealous sky
When we walked in fields of gold
When we walked in fields of gold
When we walked in fields of gold.

-Eva Cassidy (original lyrics by Sting)

[Josette Wheeler]

Lullaby
by Sia

Send a wish upon a star
Do the work and you'll go far
Send a wish upon a star
Make a map and there you are
Send a hope upon a wave
A dying wish before the grave
Send a hope upon a wave
For all this souls you failed to save
And you stood tall
Now you will fall
Don't break the spell
Of a life spent trying to do well
And you stood tall
Now you will fall
Don't break the spell
Of a life spent trying to do well
Send a question in the wind
It's hard to know where to begin
So send the question in the wind
And give an answer to a friend
Place your past into a book
Put in everything you ever took
Place your past into a book
Burn the pages let them cook
And you stood tall
Now you will fall
Don't break the spell
Of a life spent trying to do well
And you stood tall
Now you will fall
Don't break the spell
Of a life spent trying to do well
Send a wish upon a star
Send a wish upon a star

[Josette Wheeler]

One Foot
by Walk the Moon

Not a soul up ahead and nothing behind
There's a desert in my blood and a storm in your eyes
Am I the king of nothing at all?
Then you're the queen of nothing at all
Well I remember the fight and I forget the pain
I got my hand in your pocket and my key on your chain
Am I the king of nothing at all?
Then you're the queen of nothing at all

Oh, through the wilderness
You and I we're walking through the emptiness
Oh, my heart is a mess
Is it the only defense against the wilderness?

Cross my heart and hope to die
Taking this one step at a time
Got your back if you got mine
One foot in front of the other
One foot in front of the other
One foot in front of the other
One foot in front of the other

All that we have is each other.

One foot in front of the other.

Not a soul on the road, not a star in the sky
It's a desert in my heart, and I know where to hide
I'm your king of nothing at all
And you're my queen of nothing at all

Well, out here in the dust if you don't have trust
Ain't nothing left of us, this is the exodus
They're just testing us, they can't flex with us
They can't mess with us, they can't mess with us

Oh, through the wilderness
How come even together there can be loneliness?
Oh, our heart's a mess
But it's our only defense to brave the wilderness
Cross my heart and hope to die
Taking this one step at a time
I got your back if you got mine
One foot in front of the other
One foot in front of the other
One foot in front of the other
One foot in front of the other
All that we have is each other
One foot in front of the other

Oh, through the wilderness
How come even together there can be loneliness?
Oh, our heart's a mess
But it's our only defense to brave the wilderness.

Cross my heart and hope to die
Taking this one step at a time
I got your back if you got mine
One foot in front of the other
One foot in front of the other
One foot in front of the other

One foot in front of the other.

Oh, all that we have is each other
One foot in front of the other
In the so-called Land of the Free
One foot in front of the other
Don't you know that all we have is each other
One foot in front of the other.

[Josette Wheeler]

Castle by Halsey

Sick of all these people talking, sick of all this noise
Tired of all these cameras flashing, sick of being poised
Now my neck is open wide, begging for a fist around it
Already choking on my pride, so there's no use crying about it

I'm headed straight for the castle
They wanna make me their queen
And there's an old man sitting on the throne
That's saying that I probably shouldn't be so mean
I'm headed straight for the castle
They've got the kingdom locked up
And there's an old man sitting on the throne
That's saying I should probably keep my pretty mouth shut
Straight for the castle

Oh, all these minutes passing, sick of feeling used
If you wanna break these walls down, you're gonna get bruised
Now my neck is open wide, begging for a fist around it
Already choking on my pride, so there's no use crying about it
I'm headed straight for the castle
They wanna make me their queen
And there's an old man sitting on the throne
That's saying that I probably shouldn't be so mean

I'm headed straight for the castle
They've got the kingdom locked up
And there's an old man sitting on the throne
That's saying I should probably keep my pretty mouth shut
Straight for the castle

There's no use crying about it
There's no use crying about it
There's no use crying about it
There's no use crying about it

I'm headed straight for the castle
They wanna make me their queen
And there's an old man sitting on the throne
That's saying that I probably shouldn't be so mean
I'm headed straight for the castle
They've got the kingdom locked up
And there's an old man sitting on the throne
That's saying I should probably keep my pretty mouth shut

Straight for the castle
They wanna make me their queen
And there's an old man sitting on the throne
That's saying that I probably shouldn't be so mean
I'm headed straight for the castle
They've got the kingdom locked up
And there's an old man sitting on the throne
That's saying I should probably keep my pretty mouth shut
Straight for the castle.

[Josette Wheeler]

White Rabbit Remix
by Jefferson Airplane, lyrics by Grace Slick

One pill makes you larger
And one pill makes you small,
And the ones that mother gives you
Don't do anything at all.
Go ask Alice
When she's ten feet tall.

And if you go chasing rabbits…
And you know you're going to fall…

When logic and proportion
Have fallen sloppy dead,
And the White Knight is talking backwards
And the Red Queen's "off with her head!"
Remember what the door mouse said:

"Feed your head. Feed your head. Feed your head"

[Dante Alvarez]

Enter Sandman
By Metallica

Say your prayers, little one
Don't forget, my son
To include everyone

I tuck you in, warm within
Keep you free from sin
Till the Sandman he comes

Sleep with one eye open
Gripping your pillow tight

Exit light
Enter night
Take my hand
We're off to Never—, Neverland

Something's wrong, shut the light
Heavy thoughts tonight
And they aren't of Snow White

Dreams of war, dreams of liars
Dreams of dragon's fire
And of things that will bite

Sleep with one eye open
Gripping your pillow tight

Exit light
Enter night
Take my hand
We're off to Never—, Neverland

Now I lay me down to sleep
Pray the Lord my soul to keep
If I die before I wake
Pray the Lord my soul to take

Hush little baby, don't say a word
And never mind that noise you heard
It's just the beasts under your bed
In your closet, in your head

Exit light
Enter night
Grain of sand

Exit light
Enter night
Take my hand
We're off to Never—, Neverland

We're off to Never—, Neverland
Take my hand
We're off to Never—, Neverland
Take my hand
We're off to Never—, Neverland
We're off to Never—, Neverland
We're off to Never—, Neverland
We're off to Never—, Neverland

[Dante Alvarez]

Fly

[Josette Wheeler]

Evening Hymn from Hansel and Gretel

Mozart’s Laudate Dominum

[Canaan]

Biblical by Calum Scott

Didn't know that I'd fall so hard
That my feet left the ground
Gravity don't make no sense when you're around
I come up against myself when
Demons in my head get loud
I don't know how you do it but you turn them down

I slip and wonder who I'd be
If I never found you and you never found me
Well, I don't wanna see

So won't you give me tonight
And the rest of your life?
I wanna have it all with you
I wanna have it all with you
And when you open your eyes
I'll be there by your side
I wanna have it all with you
I wanna have it all with you

'Cause your love is biblical
Biblical, it's biblical

If you ever go to pieces
Fall between the thunder clouds
I will put you back together, I won't let you down

I slip and wonder what I'd do
If you never found me and I never found you
I don't know what I'd do

So won't you give me tonight
And the rest of your life?
I wanna have it all with you
I wanna have it all with you
And when you open your eyes
I'll be there by your side
I wanna have it all with you
I wanna have it all with you

I wanna have it all (I wanna have it all)
I wanna have it all (I wanna have it all)
I wanna have it, I wanna have it all (I wanna have it all)
'Cause your love is biblical
It's biblical, it's biblical

So won't you give me tonight
And the rest of your life?
I wanna have it all with you
I wanna have it all with you
So come on and give me tonight
And the rest of your life
I wanna have it all with you
I wanna have it all with you
And when you open your eyes
I'll be there by your side
I wanna have it all with you
I wanna have it all with you

'Cause your love is biblical
It's biblical, it's biblical