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Wild Lion*esses Pride from Jay's avatar

My dearest Gloria Hurrican of Las Vegas, Guardian of the Holy Grail of the Storm, this is my personal answer to your Rally Cry of Gloria Cohen's Hallelujah:

DO NOT SAY YOU DIDN’T KNOW

They were fired

without notice,

without reason,

without name.

Just a number,

just a list,

just gone.

You call it policy.

I’ve seen it before.

It was called cleansing.

I know what follows

when fear is systemized—

when the truth is redacted

and the silence becomes law.

Do not say you didn’t know.

The flags are still waving.

The boots are quieter now.

The uniforms better tailored.

But I know the smell—

of paper burned clean,

of words erased from records,

of questions that cost your job

before they finish your sentence.

Do not ask me to explain.

I was born into the aftermath.

Raised in the shadow of obedience

that swallowed a continent.

And this?

This is how it starts again.

Not with fire—

with comfort.

Not with shouting—

with silence.

By the time you look up,

your neighbor will be gone,

your rights a rumor,

your memory a crime.

Do not say you didn’t know.

You knew.

You know.

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

Thank you for the heartfelt poem. I appreciate your words so much.

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

You honor me with your words. You grace my life with your friendship. ❤️

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Malcolm J McKinney's avatar

Yes.

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

Malcolm, I want somebody to sing this version so badly.

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Robert A M Ross's avatar

I arranged a version of •Hallelujah• for my synagogue choir some years back—I would like to have your permission to insert some of •your• verses into that arrangement…

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

Robert, I would be honored and thrilled to be added to your arrangement.

Would you consider sharing your verses with us? With me?

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Bruce Culver's avatar

Absolutely superb, and I know Leonard Cohen would approve. I am old school - I can imagine Pentatonix singing this - they did one of the best renditions of the original I've heard. It's on Youtube and over the past 8 years it has been listened to 768 million times.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRP8d7hhpoQ

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

Bruce, I went down a rabbit hole listening to their music. Thank you very much.

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Malcolm J McKinney's avatar

Yep.

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Lesley Houghton's avatar

You are so right!

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

Thanks, Lesley. Please share it with others.

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

Thank you, Lesley.

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Debbie Young's avatar

I am lost for words This is probably my most favourite thing you have ever written.It speaks to millions of people everywhere and the meaning behind those words is true grit that each and everyone of us can march along to and move forward in numbers.

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

I hope people do embrace this poem and use it to unite and uplift one another.

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Julie Wise's avatar

Brilliant, Gloria. I can hear Leonard Cohen's voice (and yours) behind every word. 🔥

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

Did you know hundreds of groups and people have written verses to his song? It is a mantra for the ages.

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Malcolm J McKinney's avatar

Yes!

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Richard Blaisdell's avatar

Got to keep moving. Cells replicate, but not a cancer that destroys itself, but oroborous snake eating tails and the years scoff scales, shed skin to renew. Hide the cells underground. Watch from dense underbrush, surprise when get the chance to squeeze as a python knows, silent bookmarks in banned tombs. libraries research and understand what freedom is to educate self will and hold hands in a march of sometime madness, but succumb to waves of pressure ploys by tyrants rants. Never. "Don't tread on me."

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Malcolm J McKinney's avatar

Just like the Minute Men chasing the "King's" men back to Boston.

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

Exactly, Malcolm. We need to yell our heads off. Figuratively, preferably.

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Mark Whitson's avatar

Have very loud voice… Only use at concerts, sporting events, demonstrations, and a time or two to break up fights when working in schools. Oh, and to howl at the moon, talk with the dogs & wolves…

Swimmers lungs.

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

You can yell my poem in a mic or a bullhorn or both.

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Mark Whitson's avatar

Love to M. Watt, G. Hurley, and D. Boon… went to school with them.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UDr25zjd4yM

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

That is so cool!

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

Your brilliance always amazes me.

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Carl Selfe's avatar

And I hear Jackson Browne singing, Til I go down! If It is my turn, I had a good life and the cause is well worth my life. Encouraging words, G.L.O.R.I.A.

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

Yes! Thank you, Carl. Such a good song.

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Carl Selfe's avatar

You make my heart sing!

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Stanley Wotring's avatar

OMG, I love this! Perfect.

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

I included the words in a plain format at the end of my post if you want to copy them and pass along to others.

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Susan Stromgren's avatar

THANK YOU!!!

This is deeply moving and amazing. Please, someone get a group of singers together and send this out on the ether and make it go viral. Groups of people going to marches can sing this song as an anthem. I’m sending it out everywhere I can, but would love to hear it being sung by many groups of people.💕💕💕

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

I added an easy to print version of the poem/song at the end of the post for people to print if they want to use the work. I am trying to make a PDF. Pray for me. LOL I am horrid at tech stuff.

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Mark Bohrer @LocalPoet's avatar

Here is my performance of Gloria's words...her new words to Leonard Cohen's song Hallelujah...new words for today…

Gloria is one of those poets who writes with flow. The words seem to come from her pen like arrows fly from Athena’s quiver, striking targets in the world, like lightning from the arms of Zeus, illuminating the night sky.

Here is my performance. I hope I do it some justice. If you can tell, it slayed me by the end. Peace.

https://localpoet.substack.com/p/hallelujah-in-the-streets-by-ghy

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

I am so impressed. The way you spoke the words made my heart flutter. Thank you. 🙏

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Notes from the Dragon's Nest's avatar

This is wonderful, Gloria! I'm going to share it with all of my friends and fellow Resistance activists!

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

Please do. If you are participating in protest marches, I can send just the poem/song to you to pass around. I want people to not feel alone and unseen.

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Notes from the Dragon's Nest's avatar

That would be wonderful! If you send the lyrics to me in pdf form, I'm happy to print them out and hand them to fellow protesters.

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

I added poem/song to the bottom of the Post if that will work for you. Otherwise, I will attempt to create a PDF. I am so not good with that but I will do it if it kills me …. LOL

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Dawn's avatar

I love this song, especially when Leonard Cohen himself is singing it in his deep, groveling voice. It is a masterpiece, and brilliant of you, Gloria, to post the words to show its relevance today.

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

I wrote a version of his song for us in our situation today because there is not better way for us to unite and celebrate our fight for freedom than with song and chanting. Thank you for reading and commenting on my post.

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

Thank you so much for the restack. ❤️

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

Thank you for the restack. ❤️

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Joanne's avatar

Excellent ! I am in tears…. Thank you.

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

Joanne, please share with others. I am glad the song speaks to you.

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Karen Scofield's avatar

"Yahoo" Gloria!!! You are a True Patriot my friend 🇺🇸 I appreciate all you do for the American people and me, and will reStack ASAP 🙏💯💯💯💯💯👍

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

Thank you, sweet friend. ❤️

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Lynn Kay's avatar

You have written a world class anthem to our movement and I mean the whole world will benefit!!!!

Thank you for this masterpiece!

One of my favorites!

You have made it permanent for our times!!!

💜🤍

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

Thank you, Lynn. It’s a start. ❤️

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Mark Whitson's avatar

Jim Page Didn’t We

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rJZyrV3Ntu4

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

Thank you 🙏 Mark! Awesomeness

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

Thank you so much!

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Nelly Bryce's avatar

Forward! Anyways forward.! Yes my friend ✊

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Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

Thank you, Nelly!

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