Edge of the World

Admittedly, I’m a bit of a science geek. My latest obsession for knowledge is in the field of Geology, and for that, there are few better places than the western coast of North America, at the edge of the world. Under my feet, the Pacific Plate is diving deep under the North American Plate, giving birth to the volcanoes of the Cascade and Coast Mountains, one of which, I can see from my kitchen window.

These mountains are not just a physical divide however, they create somewhat of an ideological divide as well.  The “architects of the future” in Silicon Valley and other places push technology forward, while at times it seems that other parts of North America prefer to stand still or even move in the other direction. This divide has the potential to create ruptures in the fragile landscape we call home.

UPATE (2022): I recently updated this song with a slightly different arrangement and improved audio with my new microphone.

Edge of the World, Copyright 2020 Steve Smith (SOCAN)

Rising, rising
From the deep blue sea
Pacific promise
Come and rescue me
Moving, moving
Over molten stone
Cascades of fire
A harmonic tone

Here I sit, at the edge of the world
Cascadia … to Southern Califor-nia
Tectonic pressures, subduction zone
Creative riches, a harmonic tone
Divided by mountains from the new, old land
Architects of the future, foresee the demand

Here at the edge of the world
I feel the ground is shaking, shaking
Here at the edge of the world
I see the order breaking, breaking
Here at the edge of the world
I feel the winds are blowing, blowing
Here at the edge of the world
I see the rift is growing, growing

There you sit, at the edge of the world
Ideology, divided by geo-ol-o-gy
Population rising, reservoirs of sand
Keep up production, to meet the demand
Divided by decades from your parent’s mistake
You look to the future, the future you’ll make

Here I sit, at the edge of the world
Cascadia … to Southern Califor-nia
Tectonic pressures, subduction zone
Creative riches, a harmonic tone
Divided by mountains from the new, old land
Architects of the future, foresee the demand

Here at the edge of the world
I feel the ground is shaking, shaking
Here at the edge of the world
I see the order breaking, breaking
Here at the edge of the world
I feel the winds are blowing, blowing
Here at the edge of the world
I see the rift is growing, growing