My son`s G8 class watched Gord Downie`s Secret Path video a couple of years ago and he shared the link with me. I was moved as much by the fine animation as the music and went back to it for the writing of this song about a boy who runs away from a Canadian Residential School.
The true stories behind such places are often more gut wrenching than my tale of someone getting away; my wishful thinking a way to deal with the awful news that`s still coming out about these places.

Leaving St. Seraphina`s

Style is _SEED.STY (Seed Finger Picking Baritone)

RealTracks in style: 3121:Bass, Acoustic, PopHalfNotesPush Ev 085
RealTracks in style: 3715:Guitar, Baritone Acoustic, Fingerpicking AmericanaRootsy Ev16 085
RealTracks in song: 3771:Tin Whistle, Low, Background Folky16thsGeoff Ev
3656 Gtr acoustic


Leaving St. Seraphina`s

today I ate pine bark and fiddleheads
got a full belly of fight
Brother Remnant Sister Makepeace
did you miss me turning out the lights
I`m five miles down the northern pike

lay me down in trembling alder
my finger boat crosses the moon
grandmother grey I found your bear star
lost my language in a locked room
scrubbed with lye lies and brooms

I`m leaving St Seraphina`s
took my name you can`t keep me
from a house over Malaspina
scars never show on the sea
no scars on the sea

tracks I dawdle down scared of wild eyes
travel nights like the spirit fox
Brother Remnant Sister Makepeace
I am like this black beetle in a box
your sermons sound like rattling rocks

I`m leaving St Seraphina`s
took my name you can`t keep me
from a house over Malaspina
scars never show on the sea
no scars on the sea

leaving St Seraphina`s
barefoot again kick off your hard boots
I`m the grass on the winter prairie
only died down to my roots
only died to my roots

© Robert Cordrey July 2021

here`s a link to one of the songs from Gord Downie`s video album:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=za2VzjkwtFc

Comments are welcome; thanks for listening.

Robert