Open Body
A Body of Work no. 9 -- Broken Body, Open
Hi! Welcome to “A Body of Work.” It’s the occasional Tuesday space here on “Living in a Body” where I dig deep into Hal history and pull out a musical gem. Don’t miss the buttons below to hear the song, “Open Body.” Thank you for being here!
Open Body
There’s no one particular song that will be the theme song for “Living in a Body.” Over time, it’s the entire body of work that will tell the story. But if I were personifying each song in a particular role, "Open Body" would be one of the founding members of this publication. Born out of a stick figure logo that I designed in my early years of living with chronic illness, “Open Body” is a song of surrender. Immersed in love, the body is wide open in a posture of celebration and pure being. The song lays the foundation for honesty, humility and acceptance -- all the places I hope to explore in this creative adventure called living... in a body, that is.
As the music director of the UU church of Kent, one of my most outspoken critics was Caroline Arnold. Like several of my favorite Unitarians who are no longer with us, Caroline was an old school liberal activist who wasn't afraid to make her opinions known. One Sunday morning, after I had sung "Open Body" as the musical meditation, she let me that she didn't like the song. She had been through open heart surgery and preferred not to be reminded of that gruesome operation. I assured her that the song was meant purely as a metaphor for opening to the eternal wonder of life, but she wasn't sold on the idea. I miss you, Caroline. You were one of the good ones.
Over the years, Margot Milcetich and I have written some great songs together and this is one of them. Margot, if you’re reading this, let’s write another some time soon. I don’t think it’s time to give up yet. ❤️
If I could, I would fix the harmonies in the recording below, but we’ll have to settle with this for now. Leonard Cohen writes, "There's a crack in everything. That's how the light gets out." Today, I’ll think of the imperfections as the light shining this song out into the world. Thank you so much for listening.
Open Body
by Hal Walker and Margot Milcetich
Open body body open
body body open open
broken body open open
body body open openOpen my body and let Love wash me clear of
All that divides me and let Love pull me open
Show me compassion, true humility
Purify the thoughts that are moving inside of me.Born in wisdom, bathed in beauty
Blessed in the presence of the holy mystery.
Circles of justice are growing in silence
While the songs of the people are crying to be free.O formless presence, fountain of being
I’m calling for the mother of Earth just to open meOpen body body open
body body open open
broken body open open
body body open openOpen body broken open
Body body open open
Open broken body open
Body body open open
Thank you Hal.
Such a beautiful song. Thank you for sharing.