we three send you a song
over continents, over oceans
through centuries
hope this finds you well
better than we found our times
with plague, blind beliefs
and uncertainty about us
and fragile mortality and living on the edge
when life was not comfortable
which was often for us
we three send you a song
over continents, over oceans
through centuries
hope life’s better for you
O radiant humanity of the future
not that it was bad for us
but it’s logical to assume
things always get better
and so it’s utopia you must be in
as we send you this message
and your world must be ridden
of anxiety and worry
it must be times of peace and harmony
where the peoples of the world live together
like children of one family
thus we three send you a song
over continents, over oceans
through centuries*
and so in your ease and enlightened times
such as they must be
remember us by this painting by Lorenzo Costa
and also hum along to our tune
of goodwill and cheer
that you might imagine
and if you master the art of time-travel
come visit us, and we’ll give you a song
one that you can hear, one you can join in
and perhaps you’ll take us back along with you
to such happier, happier times
such joyous, joyous bright times
as yours must be
there in your distant century