UKRANIAN NOW
By Tom Paxton and John McCutcheon
I Am Ukrainian Now
Tom Paxton and John McCutcheon have written a heartfelt, stirring song, “Ukrainian Now.” that touches us all. Noel Paul Stookey edited this beautiful video that includes the voices of Peter Yarrow, Bill Miller, Tret Fure, Holly Near, Emma’s Revolution, Rebel Voices, Crys Matthews, Carrie Newcomer, Christine Lavin and Joe Jencks – whose playing of the electric bouzouki adds a haunting compliment to the piano of McCutcheon.
The lyrics scroll across the screen and the sheet music is at the end. Please share far and wide. As Holly says at the video’s conclusion, “We are all Ukrainian, now…”
Ukrainian Now
When I open the paper and check out the news on TV,
It’s pictures of buildings exploding is all that I see.
But there in the midst of the horror the blood and the bone,
Are the Davids against the Goliath defending their homes.
I am Ukrainian now.
I will stand and I will not bow.
Half world away but somehow,
I’m Ukrainian now
I am the Muscovite protesting out in the street.
I am the Rabbi learning to pray with my feet.
I am the soldier who used to dance in the ballet.
I am the father sending my family away.
I am Ukrainian now.
I will stand and I will not bow.
Half world away but somehow,
I’m Ukrainian now
A world that once was so big,
Now feels so small.
An attack on the freedom of one is aimed at us all.
Some times the picture before you is just too hard to see.
But I can’t look away like the coward I used to be.
While others are mounting resistance and risking it all,
How can we stand by impassive when we hear their call?
We are Ukrainian now,
We will stand and we will not bow,
Half world away but somehow,
We all are Ukrainian now.
We are Ukrainian now,
We will stand and we will not bow.
Half world away but somehow,
We all are Ukrainian now.
Shem Center for Interfaith Spirituality
708 North Harvey Avenue
Oak Park, IL 60302
(708) 848-1095
shemcenter1993@gmail.com
Photo Credits: Emory Mead, Stephen B. Starr, Joseph Kilikevice
The Shem Center for Interfaith Spirituality website is awarded a 2022 American Digital Design Award for excellence in design and user experience.
