Take Back the Island

2 weeks ago by @mikedelaney

Liner Notes

#folk #protest
Thompson Island is in Boston Harbor. You can walk there across a sand bar when the tide is low enough. This started out as a poem, and I just turned it into a song.

Lyrics

Take Back the Island – Mike Delaney, FAWM25

Right at dawn we meet the group, assembling at the designated spot
Need to head out early, make our way across, before it gets too hot
We set this for a low-low tide, so the sandbar would be suitably exposed
We kept the plans quiet, so our tactics wouldn’t be disclosed
We’re gonna take back the island

We reach the other side and make our way over to the dock
Need to get there before the ferry arrives, we have to beat the clock
We unfurl our banner and hang it up across the ferry’s gangway
When the deed is done, we take pictures and then we scurry away
We’re gonna take back the island

The island was home to Native Americans; so how did the Europeans get it?
They just stole it, ‘cause they wanted it, just like that, you can bet it
Chickatawbut the Sachem, met with Captain Myles Standish
Five years later, David Thompson had a trading post on the island, how outlandish
We’re gonna take back the island

For 20 years now there’s been a Grant of Conservation Restriction
We all paid for it; millions of dollars, though there’s been some friction
We bought public access, but the island is seldom ever open
A few Saturdays in the summer, that’s it. There should be more, we’re all hopin’
We’re gonna take back the island

And get this, the name of Thompson Island is changing
For $12 million dollars, Cathleen Stone bought the name’s rearranging
To the rich go the spoils, since colonial times, and before
Who knows what other plans the rich have in store
We’re gonna take back the island

So today we have our protest to let them know we’re still here
We want to make our intentions overt and clear
We want frequent public access to the island, year-round
No matter what it takes, we’re gonna stand our ground
We’re gonna take back the island

If we can’t get the island back by persistent protesting
We’ll up the ante until they understand we aren’t jesting
We won’t use force. We’ll take it back by the force of law
Tie it all up in the courts until the bastards withdraw
We’re gonna take back the island

So, if you see us on the news, zip-tied by the cops
You’ll know that we persisted, and we’re never gonna stop
We’ll be on the front line whenever our rights are under attack
Come join us for a protest-walk to take the island back
We’re gonna take back the island
We’re gonna take back the island

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