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Oankali Song
Words & Music by Brooke Lunderville, 2006.
I wrote this after I found out Octavia Butler died. Aroo! She is my favourite author. This tune sets up the situation for her Xenogenesis trilogy, which is the first thing of hers I ever read and still my favourite. If you can sing a little higher than I can, you can play it in C minor, which we think is very pretty.

PDF leadsheet for Oankali Song.
MP3 recording of Oankali Song.

							capo 2		
We came to your world after your final war		Am  E		
Continents blackened and burnt				E  D		
We would not interfere					D  F		
In your suicide						F  Am		

But curious we sought out your surviving few
As you are drawn to compete
We are drawn to explore
We should have left you alone

	In your bodies we found your great contradiction	D  Am		
	Intelligence beholden to your hierarchical drive	D  Am	
	The destruction you carry within			D		
	A colour you can't see					F		
	It terrifies us						Am		

	But in your bodies too we found your beautiful cancer
	The power to grow a new limb, to heal from death's door
	We are genetic collectors
	Hungry for newness
	We are seduced by you

It's been two hundred fifty years since we arrived
The Earth has cooled enough
For us to wake you from
Your temporary peace

When we join with you your conflict may destroy us both 
Too late for us to say no
Welcome to the Dinso
Lilith Iyapo
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