On this stage of life

There’s a broker on Wall Street
Just made a big profit with the rising prize of rice
And a peasant in Bangla Desh
Is standing in front of his ruined field and cries
     People hope and people smile
     People despair and people cry
     Somewhere on this stage of life - right now
     People suffer and people fight
     People live and people die
     Somewhere on this stage of life - right now

There’s a ten year old girl in Tirupur
She has to work all day in a garment factory,
And a spoiled young girl in Paris
Just spending a lot of money for cheap fashion jeans
     People dream and people work
     People love and people hurt
     Somewhere on this stage of life - right now
     People destroy and people create
     People try and people wait
     Somewhere on this stage of life - right now

There’s a salesman in Munich
Just signing a big arms deal with the Middle East
And a demonstrator in Libya
Just died in the firing of military police
     People sell and people buy
     People kill and people die
     Somewhere on this stage of life - right now
     People deal and people lie
     People hush and people arise
     Somewhere on this stage of life - right now

There’s a man in Angola
Forced by mercs to dig for diamonds in a toxic mine
And a rich man in London
Just buying a diamond ring for his wife
     People hate and people love
     People acclaim and people starve
     Somewhere on this stage of life - right now
     People cuddle and people assign
     People give in and people fight
     Somewhere on this stage of life - right now

           And they’re praying in big churches
           And they’re praying beneath the open sky
           And they’re praying in shuls and in mosques.
           And they’re praying to Jahveh
           And they’re praying to Allah
           And they’re praying to Buddha and to God.
           And they’re praying for their children
           And they’re praying for freedom and peace
           And they’re praying for to get back what they lost.
           And they’re praying for tomorrow
           And they’re praying for a better world
           And they’re praying and praying a lot

And a cynical God in heaven
Is looking on his show on this stage of life and laughs.

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