Song Writing Contest Winners
The 2024 winners are presented in the videos below. Press play on each video to listen.
The 1st Place Winner of $1,000
Mike Borok for The Rain
Mike Borok will be a guest on John Burton’s award winning podcast “Home from Here“.Â
Click for Lyrics
THE RAIN
I’m so sorry to just drop in like this
Do you mind if I spend the night?
You see, me and Eddie were at it again
We had one hell of a fight
There was cursing and crying and sharp objects flying
And kids hiding under the covers
The older ones screaming at Eddie and me
To stop yelling at each other
And I’m lucky to have a friend like you
Who I can turn to and talk to
Who opens the door and lets me come in out of the rain
I hate to come knocking so late at night
But I can’t think of where else to go
They roll up the sidewalks at ten, and besides
I would rather not run into someone I know
And I know I said things that I didn’t mean
Well, maybe I meant them, and maybe they’re true
I was trying to hurt him just like he hurt me
We don’t get along as good as Roger and you
And I’m lucky to have a friend like you
Who I can turn to and talk to
Who opens the door and lets me come in out of the rain
And it feels so good to sit here by your fire
While the cold wind is blowing outside
Just you and me drinking coffee and tea
And your house is so quiet
Your house is so quiet…
No – never mind, I can tell by your face
This might not be such a good time
You seem distracted, your makeup is smeared
It looks like you might have been crying
So thanks for the coffee – now it’s getting late
Guess I’ll head back out into the rain
Maybe drive around town for an hour or two
Then go home and make up with Eddie again
And I’m lucky to have a friend like him
Who I can return to and talk to
And you can come over whenever you need to come out of the rain
Runner-up Winner of $500
Abigayle Kompst for Recovering Optimist
Click for Lyrics
Recovering Optimist – Written by Abigayle Kompst
I’m not quite a pessimist
I see it as it is
And after the year we had
Sorry I’m a little sad
There’s bad and good in this world
I was taught as a girl
Find a silver lining
You’ll be fine
Well when you only count the blue skies
There’s a lot that you miss
So here’s some advice from a recovering optimist
Expect the worst and be glad when it goes right
Smile when the sun’s bright but don’t blind yourself
Cause the light is appealing but if you’re not healing
What’s in the dark
You won’t get too far
Tried to be happy with some time alone
Getting in our heads inside our homes
birthdays and wedding dates
Temporarily postponed
And if I remember right
This should be the time of my life
To be young and in your 20s
Should be fun but I feel empty
And scared for everybody
Expect the worst and be glad when it goes right
Smile when the sun’s bright but don’t blind yourself
Cause the light is appealing but if you’re not healing
What’s in the dark
You won’t get too far
La la la
La la la
La la la
Honorable mentions
Simone Keane for Graced by Leaves
Click for Lyrics
GRACED BY LEAVES Simone Keane
since they took you away I cannot breathe right
something has seized up inside my chest
all your precious treasures all your cool grace
when I was a child I always thought you’d the sky
swaying in the breeze we were graced by your leaves
and in the autumn your leaves turned auburn and fell
around our feet
we’d play in your shade and sing songs of joy
and on sunny days we would discard our toys and climb
up and down your beautiful body
but you were cut down as if you were nothing
as if you had it coming but you’d done nothing wrong
beneath your cool shade sweet love was made
you watched me grow and I never stopped my dancing
now you are gone I cannot breathe right
something has seized up tight inside my chest
you gave birds a home cradled their nests in the
spring time I told you all my darkest secrets all my fanciful
wishes they flew away on a black crow’s wings
now are you are gone how can I breathe right?
the air in this place doesn’t feel quite the same as
when we were graced by your leaves
well some say you can always plant another tree
but they don’t understand what you meant to me
yeh I know everything’s gotta die some day
still nothing’s been quite the same
since they took you away I cannot breathe right
the air in this place doesn’t feel quite the same as
when we were graced by your leaves
the air in this place doesn’t feel quite the same as
when we were graced by your leaves
since they took you away how can I breathe right?
the air in this place doesn’t feel quite the same as
when we were graced by your leaves
Olivia Foschi for Pieces of Central Park
Click for Lyrics
Pieces of Central Park (O. Foschi)
I watch him rake up all the pieces
of the brokenhearted dreamers
that wander through the ramble at dusk.
He revels in the moment
and sews together secrets
of all the lonely strangers in the park.
Oh, what a lovely way to patch up
all the heartache of a day
and mend a love that someone’s thrown away.
If only one discerning look
could cancel all the pain,
would it be through? I wish I knew.
He’s one who’s learned to see the beauty
in the sad and sullen scenery
and somehow find the springtime in the fall.
Richard Drost for Last Fire
Click for Lyrics
Last Fire – Rick Drost
I bring fire to all the planets in the galaxy
With a crystal that I hold to catch their sun
All gather round for warmth; I tell them it’s a gift
To use with love and share with everyone
So it always starts out well; they learn to tend the fires
Share them, cook, stay warm, keep beasts at bay
But then someone wants the biggest fire, and someone wants the only one
Once fighting starts it all will burn away.
And the prairies burn,
And the forests burn,
And soon it’s only cinders and ash.
Had high hopes for this one planet I enlightened long ago:
They learned to share the fires, make tools and glass.
Built cathedrals with stained windows let the colored sunlight through
Orchestras and choirs sing Alleluia
Alleluia
…
But then they started burning anyone who wouldn’t sing their tune,
Burned books of foreign thoughts and foreign songs
Then they learned to can the fire
And rain it down on everyone
And everything will burn before too long
And the cities burn
And the forests burn
And soon again it’s cinders and ash
Now I’m some empty planet of some sun i’ve never seen
Should find one near that’s not had fire before
But all that I have done has only come to stone and ash
And I don’t want no part of it no more
So I’ve collected fuel; found some tinder in my poke
For one last time I’ve caught the sun in crystal
I lie here in the warmth; my diamond shattered at my feet
My body withers as the fire dwindles
Farewell to all the silent stars
The planets stone and ash
The planets stone and ashen soon to be
Fare well the gentle creatures
Abiding in green valleys
Farewell to all the love was meant to be
Still warm– it’s getting colder
Use the fire well!
Colder
Share the fire with love!
Cold
Love!
Cold
Peter Sando for John Brown
Click for Lyrics
John Brown (Sando) © Sandbag Music 1999
Some said John was saintly some said he was a fool
as he spoke of revolution and the golden rule
with a bible in his satchel and a rifle in his hand
he would sacrifice his own to liberate this land
John Brown left North Elba for Osawatomie
He knew his sons were waiting and Kansas had to be free
they were fighting border ruffians hoping to turn the tide
but the bloody swords of ’56 no one could abide
Back in Virginia we gathered in his glow
his eyes as red as fire hair as white as snow
He knew a house divided in time would never stand
as unto the secret six Capt. Brown revealed his plan
Attack at Harper’s Ferry this time it’s for real
dreams of insurrection reinforcements from the fields
Now we had the guns and ammo and a chance to get away
but old man Brown he held his ground he was goin’ to have his day
(CHORUS) John Brown
John Brown
John Brown
laid his body down
What northern lawyer will defend the leader of this gang
tried before his wounds had healed and sentenced to hang
he owed more than his life but his words would pay the debt
and strike a blow for freedom that no one could forget
In Cleveland and Concord the bells they did ring
from Philadelphia to Buffalo choirs they would sing
Along the underground railroad people they were crying
abolitionists everywhere knew John Brown was crucified
(CHORUS)
Sue Horowitz for Big Town Small Town
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Big Town Small Town – Sue Horowitz
Well I find myself in a midwest city
and it feels like a real small town
the train rolls through about half past two
shuts the whole place down
And it’s a big town-small town,
and the wheels go round
Train rolls through the middle of America
rolls through the heartland
By the banks of the rising Missouri waters
Train rolls through this flyover nation
rolls through the churchyards
By the banks of the rising Missouri waters.
So I find myself about 10 miles out
where the concrete turns to field
at each whistle stop, there’s a mom and pop store
to sell you what you need
the people in the town are the salt of the earth
in the home of the free and the brave
need and bounty in this midwest county
are one flood or drought away
And it’s a big town-small town,
and the wheels go round
Train rolls through the middle of America
rolls through the heartland
By the banks of the rising Missouri waters
Train rolls through this flyover nation
rolls through the churchyards
By the banks of the rising Missouri waters.
Well, I find myself laying in my bed
and the whistle blows soft and long
it’s got miles to keep, and I’m half asleep
it sings a goodnight song.
And it’s a big town-small town,
and the wheels go round
Train rolls through the middle of America
rolls through the heartland
By the banks of the rising Missouri waters
Train rolls through this flyover nation
rolls through the churchyards
By the banks of the rising Missouri waters.
Geoff Samuels for One Rainbow.
Click for Lyrics
ONE RAINBOW – Music & Lyrics by Geoff Samuels
Cities rose, walls went up
That’s what history shows
Kings and queens bow down
To the pagan gods they chose
And the walls went up between us
Dividing you and me
Stones were thrown, arrows flown
Can’t we see?
(Chorus)
No difference in the blood
No difference in our pain
No difference – all the same
One rainbow when it rains – one rainbow
Take a look around now
Nothing’s really changed
Every day in different ways
We make the same mistakes
Wars come in between us
Dividing you and me
Soldiers die, children cry
Can’t we see?
No difference in the blood
No difference in our pain
No difference – all the same
One rainbow when it rains – one rainbow
Someday the truth will find us – beggin’ in our knees
Leave the past behind us – then we can be free
We could make a difference – if we change our hearts and deeds
No more Gods – no more war
Can’t we see?
No difference in the blood
No difference in our pain
No difference – all the same
One rainbow when it rains
One rainbow – one rainbow
One rainbow – one rainbow