Anna Pocaro Photography

“When you sing to the lake, she sings back.”

-nan seymour

Singing is an expression of love, devotion, and respect. The lake has asked us to sing and to practice reciprocity with our presence and voice.

The songs here include community folk songs, songs given by the lake, and collaborations of poetry and music. We are reclaiming the act and singing and song as healing, radical, jubilant, community love and expression. 

The water will give us songs if we listen, and will always sing back. Look for the ways the lake is singing back in your life.

These songs are available for community use. Please credit Making Waves Artist Collaborative and song authors. Spanish Translations by Laura Ruiz.

Anna Pocaro Photography

Anna Pocaro Photography

Earth My Body

(folk chant)

  • earth my body

    water my blood

    air my breath

    fire my spirit

  • tierra mi cuerpo

    agua mi sangre

    aire mi aliento

    fuego mi espíritu

The River is Flowing

(folk song)

  • The river is flowing, flowing and growing

    The river is flowing, down to the sea

    Oh mother carry me

    your child I will always be

    Oh mother carry me

    down to the sea

  • EL rio esta fluyendo, fluyendo y creciendo

    El rio fluye bajando al mar

    Oh Madre cargame, tu hije siempre sere

    Oh madre abrazame, hacia el mar

We Come to You Today

words and music by Sarah May

  • Through the wind and the rain, we come to you today. (repeat)

    With the sun’s gentle rays, we come to you today. (repeat)

    With the grace of the waves, we come to you today. (repeat)

    With the love that you gave, we come to you today. (repeat)

  • Por el viento y la lluvia, venimos contigo hoy. (repite)

    Con la gracia de las olas, venimos contigo hoy. (repite)

    Con los suaves rayos del sol, venimos contigo hoy. (repite)

    Por tu amor dadivoso, venimos contigo hoy. (repite)

fado for the forsaken

in remembrance of the pelicans in exile from Gunnison Island

words by nan seymour, music by Mr. Josh Craner

  • bright line of pelicans 

    we saw you leave in a wave

    and even as you left 

    you were stitching sea to sky.

    bright ribbon of relatives

    we saw you leave in a wave

    and even as you went, 

    you were stitching sea to sky.

    and even as we wept

    you were stitching sea to sky

  • bella diamantina de pelicanos

    les vimos salir en las olas

    aun cuando se iban

    cosian el mar con el cielo.

    brillante listón de parientes

    les vimos Salir en las olas

    y aun cuando se iban

    cosieron al mar con la tierra

    y aun cuando llorábamos

    cosieron al mar con la tierra

When the Waves

words by Great Salt Lake Vigil Keepers

  • Oh when the waves, come waving in,

    Oh when the waves come waving in—

    how I want to be with that water

    when the waves come waving in! 

    Oh when brine shrimp, come shrimping in,

    Oh when brine shrimp come shrimping in—

    how I want to be with that water

    when brine shrimp come shrimping in! 

    Oh when the birds, come flocking in,

    Oh when the birds come flocking in—

    how I want to be with that water

    when the birds come flocking in! 

    When phalaropes, come twirling in,

    When phalaropes come twirling in—

    how I want to be with that water

    when phalaropes come twirling in!

    When Great Salt Lake, rises again,

    When Great Salt Lake rises again—

    how I want to be with that water

    when Great Salt Lake rises again!

  • ¡Oh vienen ya! La olas ya

    ¡Oh vienen ya! Las olas ya

    Y me encanta estar en el agua

    ¡Cuando las olas llegan ya!

    ¡Oh nada ya! La Artemia allá

    ¡Oh nada ya ! La Artemia allá

    Y me encanta estar en el agua!

    ¡Cuando la Artemia nada allá !

    ¡Oh vuelan ya! Las aves ya

    ¡Oh vuelan ya! Las aves ya

    Y me encanta estar en el agua

    Cuando las aves vuelan ya!

    Míralos ya, los farolopos allá

    Míralos ya, los farolopos allá

    Y me encanta verlos bailar en el agua

    ¡Cuando los faloropos bailan allá!

    ¡Cuando el gran lago se llene ya!

    ¡Cuando el gran lago se llene ya!

    Me encantaría estar en el agua

    ¡Cuando el Gran Lago Salado sane ya!

We’ll Do Our Part

by Mr. Craner and 6th grade students 2022-24

  • We’ll do our part— to keep the water flowin’

    Do our part— for future generations

    Do our part— to keep the little brine shrimp in their home

    We’ll do our part— to keep the rivers flowin’

    Do our part— for countless generations

    Do our part— to keep the birds returning to their home

    We can’t just sit back and hope that things are gonna change

    It’s drying up now

    We can’t keep waiting for someone else to come and fix this

    We’ve gotta do something now

    Are you down with the Great Salt Lake?

    Do you want to see it survive?

    Cause we’re down with the Great Salt Lake

    We want to see it thrive!