"A Thousand Years From Now"

JOAN

ONE VOICE TO SET THIS WORLD TO RIGHT.

ONE LAST HILL TO CLIMB.

LET ME SPEAK THE TRUTH.

GIVE ME STRENGTH TO FIGHT.

OFFER UP MY YOUTH.

ILLUMINATE A NEW AND BETTER WAY.

THE WORLD CAN'T WAIT.

SO IF IT'S NOT TODAY, THEN

A THOUSAND YEARS FROM NOW.

GOD'S LOVE WILL RULE THE WORKS OF MEN.

NATIONS ALL WILL BOW

TO THE COMMON GOOD.

LOVE WILL BE THE TEST.

JOIN ME IN THE QUEST.

TAKE UP MY CROSS, WITH TEARS AND BLOOD AND SWEAT.

FOR ONE SMALL LOSS, WHAT WONDERS WE'LL BEGET:

A THOUSANDS MOUTHS THAT NEVER GO UNFED.

A THOUSAND SONS WHOSE BLOOD WE'LL NEVER SHED.

A THOUSAND WOMEN SERVING GOD AS BEST THEY MAY.

A THOUSAND MEN WHO KNOW THE PRICE THEIR WOMEN PAY.

THE EARTH CAN TURN SO SLOWLY,

BUT SOMEHOW THE MIGHTY AND THE LOWLY,

WE'LL FIND OUR WAY TO HOLY

A THOUSAND YEARS FROM NOW.

LET FALL THE INSTITUTIONS,

MAY THEY CRUMBLE IN THE DUST.

LET ALL THE NEW SOLUTIONS TRIUMPH.

TYRANTS WILL ADJUST.

IF WE SURVIVE, IF WE'RE ALIVE,

A THOUSAND YEARS FROM NOW,

(The CROWD begins to join HER in the march.)

ALL

ONE VOICE AS THOUSANDS SING AS ONE.

TEAR DOWN EVERY BLOODY WALL.

SEE INTO THE DARK -- LOOK AT WHAT WE'VE DONE.

WE'LL LIGHT A SPARK AND SEE THE HURT AND PAIN.

THE LIGHT IS STARK, BUT THERE'S SO MUCH TO GAIN.

TO REACH THAT FUTURE WORLD WHERE LOVE HOLDS SWAY

A THOUSAND YEARS FROM NOW,

A THOUSAND YEARS FROM NOW,

LET US MAKE THE VOW TODAY.

(At the end of the song, SHE feels the stab of a labor pain and falls into the CROWD.)

Scenes and Numbers -- Act II

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