
MINOH AWASIS - Phyllis Sinclair
Moostoos oyahkhanihk, ke pisimow,
ka ahpahsisit, minoh awasis
Akha koosak maka,
ke itapiwak
Kanah wapamatchik,
ee kee nipat
Moostooswak, ke twok, kookoos pay ee it
Moonah maka matoo, minoh awasis
Ki we sakihitin, ka nawapamin
Iskoo Isakasteki
Taki wechewin
Kisiwak wechewin, Ki nahtoom mitin
Manitou ki sakihin
Ee sak ee yan
Sasawey yiminan
Kah istaseyak
Ispimik ta wi ki yak
Kikik kakigey
SNOWFLAKES - Phyllis Sinclair
Shoppers fill the city streets, on the hunt for Christmas trees
Perfect lights and decorations to make their seasons bright
Bells and Santa’s line the lamp posts
Late night box stores wait to make most
Of midnight madness lighting specials
To make this Christmas shine
Everywhere the nights aglow with neon coloured gifts and bows
Kaleidoscopic symmetry twinkles in the dark
Up above the snow starts falling, crystal jewels around me calling
Light a place within my heart that neon just can’t spark
Little Snowflakes falling down, down, down
Filling up the streets of downtown
Illuminating window sills and sky lines like a crown
Snowflakes fill my mind with wonder
Turn my heart to melted butter
Nothing says its Christmas like Snowflakes
Frosty horse drawn carriage riders, carols played by handbell choirs
Merry yuletide celebration carries on around
All the pretty lights and sounds don’t let me know that day’s around like
The million moonlit fireflies floating to the ground
Little Snowflakes falling down, down, down
Filling up the streets of downtown
Illuminating window sills and sky lines like a crown
Snowflakes fill my mind with wonder
Turn my heart to melted butter
Nothing says its Christmas like Snowflakes
Electrifying syncopation, you begin my celebration
Christmas isn’t right til your around
Little Snowflakes falling down, down, down
Filling up the streets of downtown
Illuminating window sills and sky lines like a crown
Snowflakes fill my mind with wonder
Turn my heart to melted butter
Nothing says its Christmas like Snowflakes
Somehow it’s just not Christmas without snowflakes
MARY’S SONG FOR JOSEPH - Phyllis Sinclair
On the evening angel praised, didn’t know if I could take
All the pain I felt much longer
Though we thought we were prepared, We were young and I was so scared
Having you close by made me stronger
Ahhh-ahhh-ahhh-ahhhh-ahhhh
Ahhh-ahhh-ahhh-ahhhh-ahhhh
All the whispers, all the head shakes, Took more than one man should take
Still you kept me in your favour
You could have turned your heart to stone, Choose another for your own
You’re faith in me remained unwavered
Ahhh-ahhh-ahhh-ahhhh-ahhhh
Ahhh-ahhh-ahhh-ahhhh-ahhhhEb Gm
When I look back on that night, when we held our sacred child
Nothing else around us mattered
Didn’t have much of our own, in that town so far from our home
Wouldn’t change that night for any other
I don’t recall the moon so bright on that cold Judea night
Would walk those hills if I was able
But, I was feeling cold and worn, You lit a fire to keep us warm
You laid him in a make-shift cradle
Ahhh-ahhh-ahhh-ahhhh-ahhhh
Ahhh-ahhh-ahhh-ahhhh-ahhhh
Watching you in David’s town, the way you laid him gently down
No-one else could love us better
Didn’t have a lot back then, heartache found us now and again
I wouldn’t trade a step we travelled
Ahhh-ahhh-ahhh-ahhhh-ahhhh
Ahhh-ahhh-ahhh-ahhhh-ahhhh
EVERGREEN - Phyllis Sinclair
Hey, little Evergreen you look a lot like me
Standing assuredly off to one side
Filling up an empty spot in a busy parking lot
You’re not bought and I see why
Hey, little Evergreen if I’m right I’m sure you’ve seen
Hundreds of people walking right on by
Distracted by your frame its plain to me you’re not the same
I see a top-notch winner in disguise
Hey, little Evergreen people see things differently
How attraction stimulates I just don’t know
Inflexibility can miss an opportunity
To know the gift of Winter when it snows
What are the chances your sprawling branches
Open wide their arms to me
Curly top and spine say to me that I’m just fine
It’s alright to be me, Evergreen
Hey little Evergreen you and I can both agree
Christmas wrapping paper hides a gifts real price
Shiny wrap and bows don’t tell the value their below
We rarely know the treasure kept inside
What are the chances your sprawling branches
Open wide their arms to me
Curly top and spine say to me that I’m just fine
It’s alright to be me, Evergreen
Hey little Evergreen think I’ll take you home with me
Decorate you up tonight and make you shine
No other Christmas tree speaks the way you to me
You are the heart and soul of Christmas time
What are the chances your sprawling branches
Open wide their arms to me
Curly top and spine say to me that I’m just fine
It’s alright to be me, Evergreen
Hey little Evergreen
What do you say I pack you up and get us out of here
Something tells me this is going to be a real nice Christmas
WISHLIST - Phyllis Sinclair
It’s Christmas Eve, the world’s gone home
It’s quiet as a midnight mass, I’m sitting here alone with my Wishlist
And hope that my Wishlist comes true
Handel’s on the radio, a choir sings allelu
Benediction from a church in Rome for peace and brotherhood
In the flicker of beacons bent in holy commune
Purity, reverie, tranquility tonight
The only stirring now is the cantor of the moon
Inching through a sequinned sky like a virgin to her groom
And she holds on to faith that her dreams follow through
Like me with my Wishlist, we’re both a bit naive
We’re standing at an alter now we both want to believe
In words made to give and receive
Dignity, harmony, tranquility tonight
I look down at my Wishlist, I have had it now for years
Three petitions of my asking, they’re simple and clear
And I hold on to faith in morning light’s reveal
You ask what’s on my Wishlist, they are only a few
But, my request takes courage from folks like me and you
If we listen, we can make my Wishlist come true
No children cry, no mothers sigh, no bullets fly tonight
No children cry, no mothers sigh, no bullets fly tonight
A LESSON IN HARMONY - Franz Xaver Gruber
(Spoken Word)
Silent night, holy night, All is calm, all is bright
'Round yon virgin Mother and Child, Holy infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace
Silent night, holy night!. Shepherds quake at the sight!
Glories stream from heaven afar, Heavenly hosts sing Al-le-lu-ia!
Christ the Savior is born!, Christ the Savior is born!
Silent night, holy night, Son of God, oh, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face, With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth, Jesus, Lord at Thy birth
HANDWRITTEN CHRISTMAS CARD - Phyllis Sinclair
Opened up your Christmas card
I sure appreciate the time you took to write me
Think about me, sit and write a thoughtful note inside
Nice to have you near in the form of a good old fashioned
Handwritten Christmas card
I can see you in the card shop
Thumbing through each one each one there just to
Find the right one, full of silly fun
Says so much to know you took the time
Nice to have you near in the form of a good old fashioned
Handwritten Christmas card
This delivery gets right to me
Calculated a action from the start
Strong emotion like the ocean pulls me to the place where you are
Your handwriting so revealing, so colloquial, so transparent
I can read you, I can see you,
Let’s me know the measure of your heart
Nice to have you near in the form of a good old fashioned
Handwritten Christmas card
Now I have you hear beside me though your miles and miles away
Your simple action, interaction
Leaves me feeling warm and gratified
Nice to have you near in the form of a good old fashioned
Handwritten Christmas card
Brings back memories like a summer breeze
Cinematic diaries come alive
Our devotion in slow motion
Playing out between each greeting line
Opened up your Christmas card
I sure appreciate the time you took to write me
Think about me, sit and write a thoughtful note inside
Nice to have you near in the form of a good old fashioned
Handwritten Christmas card
Good to have you near in the form of a good, old, fashioned
Hand-written Christmas card
CHRISTMAS DETOUR - Phyllis Sinclair
Laid down the cradle from the call on my work telephone
Mom said, its been a long time girl since you’ve been home
I’m buried deep in deadlines, its Friday night, I’m working late again
Mom’s gentle words keep ringing through my brain
She said, “we cut the perfect Christmas tree that Cheese the cat keeps
knocking down.”
She thinks he’s going blind in a few years, that cat won’t be around
She said, “girl you work far too hard”, I tell her that I don’t disagree
Momma always told it like she sees it, she sees right through me
She taught me how to work real hard, to not give up the things were getting rough
She said that I should pace myself the ones who stood knew when they’ve had enough
When I came unglued, all mixed up, in a rush for which way to go
She’d take me aside and say its okay to take things slow
She got my head unwound, feet back on the ground
Turned my wheels to find my way back home
Think I’ll quit for tonight, need a break from this merry-go-round
Just the thought of that silly cat with mom makes me laugh I see them now
Evening traffic’s all backed up turn off to the highway home’s ahead
I can’t forget her voice and the honest words my momma said
I know she’s right, my last time back was more than a year or so ago
Here it is near Christmas time there’s more to life than work and pay I know
I’ve come to the crossroads this time I know which way to go
Take a detour to the highway, I’m on my way back home
Got my head unwound, feet back on the ground
Turned my wheels to find my way back home
Got my head unwound, feet back on the ground
Turned my wheels to find my way back home
MERRY CHRISTMAS - Phyllis Sinclair
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas
Wishing you the good things Christmas brings
Time with family, gifts under the tree
I wish you peace and happy memories
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas
Wishing all your Christmas hopes come true
Friends at your table, laughs in full supply
Warmth of the season multiplied
But more than my hope for you this Christmas
I send to you my wants for you this year
I hope the man upstairs will grant my wishes
For gifts that I can’t buy, but offer here
May you stop to stand and watch the stars, be still as they are
Feel the wind’s renewal on your face
Deeply breathe the morning air, find beauty hidden where
You stand, no matter time or place
May you hear the song the Robin sings, note the colour of butterfly wings
Feel the heartbeat of the earth beneath your feet
My wish for you, you see, is to feel free to be
The person who means the world to me
Wishing you a very merry Christmas,
Wishing you a Happy New Year too
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas,
And hope my dreams for you will all come true
And hope my dreams for you will all come true
Phyllis Sinclair Music resides on Treaty 6 territory, the traditional home and gathering place of the Cree, Saulteaux, Blackfoot, Metis, Inuit, Dene and Nakota Sioux. We acknowledge those peoples who shared, and cared, for these sacred lands since time immemorial to allow for our lives and livelihoods.