The Pearl

Joshua Kadison

There was a Pearl at the bottom of the sea.

He was a diver like you and me

From a little village built on the sand

Where the people had nothing but faith in the Lord's hand.



In the far-away near, the Pearl was always there,

floating like a dream or like a storm in the air

And the Pearl grew bigger on the people's despair.

When the divers went to dive they prayed the same sad prayer.



Oh, God, help me find it this time.

When I hold it to the light,

How the Pearl will shine.



Early one morning, fates changed everything,

Zandro's baby boy felt the scorpion's sting.

The town doctor just sent them away,

Poor people like you got no money to pay.



In Maya's arms, her baby just cried,

While Zandro heard the Pearl's song pounding louder inside.

Into his boat he put his wife and child

And paddled out into the ocean wild.



Oh, God, help me find it this time.

When I hold it to the light,

How the Pearl will shine.

Help me Lord, help me Lord,

Help me Lord, help me.

When he held it to the light

The great Pearl did shine.



Evil on evil, sin on sin...

The whole town's hunger started closin in.

The priest came from the churchyard

To show his deep concern.

The doctor came to visit,

Now there was money to be earned.



His child got better despite the doctor's pills

Whose plan it was to fake him sick,

Then pretend to heal his ills.

And Maya said, Let's throw this pearl back to sea.

I do believe it's wicked, it'll curse our family.



Oh, God, Zandro couldn't see the sign.

When he held it to the light the Great Pearl did shine.

Shimmering, glistening, glimmering, glowing.

When he held it to the light,

The Great Pearl did shine.



With knives they came to steal his precious prize.

Zandro killed beneath the starless sky.

With blood-stains on his hands they had to flee,

But some crushed his boat, so they couldn't go by sea.



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