Milligan
Anthony Joseph Lyrics

Leggo eye upon the region, lift your eye above the sun, raise your mind above temptation, leggo eye upon the dawn
Direct your attention towards the bigger picture, beyond the ordinary, and resist the allure of distractions, focusing on the new day ahead

Milligan Benji, five foot nine and bone, standing on a hill overlooking the luminous city, barebacked with a Gilpin cutlass between elbows, sweat oozing from his solar capital like government juice
Milligan, a man named Benji, stands tall on a hill, observing the radiant cityscape, with a sword held casually, sweat dripping from his forehead like the system's wealth

But there are no masquerades on the avenues, no brass bands, no bamboo knocking, no wrist, no rubber, no steel, no color, the city seems ghostly bare
The city lacks vibrant festivities, music, expression, and vitality. It appears lifeless and devoid of its true essence

So he asks the dust "Where is the Carnival?" And the dust replies "Many things begin and end in the sea"
Seeking answers, he turns to the dust and questions the whereabouts of the Carnival. In response, the dust implies that significant events have connections to the sea

That was the day a black rain fell bucket a drop and rivers rose over mountains
A day when heavy rainfall turned black, pouring relentlessly, causing rivers to flood and surmount the heights of mountains

The storm sent shacks tumbling, the sky dim lit like a dream Many skulls were bust just by the weight of raindrops
The storm battered and destroyed makeshift shelters, while the atmosphere resembled a hazy dream. The intensity of the raindrops shattered numerous skulls

Milligan ran to the high cliffs on the coast and found that many had already flown east from there They left burning heaps of bed linen, dried fish and chamber pots of mud and maniac bitumen, and the bones of those the spirits refused flight
Milligan rushed to the elevated cliffs near the shore, discovering that many had already evacuated in an eastern direction. They left behind burning piles of belongings, remnants of food, and artifacts, along with the bones of those whose souls were denied passage

Milligan saw the water coming over the hill, flinging wood and beast like sorrow self And seeing this broke him bare The suffer the love, the suffer the love bore thick tears in his eyes
As the water surged over the hill, carrying debris and animals, Milligan witnessed this heartbreaking sight, which left him emotionally shattered. The pain and love he experienced brought tears to his eyes

But you see my Milligan, he was a black heart man, never fearful He unlaced his boots, he removed his sterling silvers Then he bent his head in meditation at that steep brim between the gulf and the sea swept hills
Milligan, characterized as courageous and resilient, calmly took off his boots and precious jewelry. Subsequently, he engaged in deep contemplation at the precipice between the deep gulf and the hills caressed by the sea

He had saved many lungs of breath by then, in a sack hid under his armpit And so, he just up and leapt into the sea below
Having stored numerous breaths in a hidden sack, he made a spontaneous decision and leaped into the sea below

Movement that goes, movement that flows Movement that flows, as your life goes Would you ever save me?
The lyrics reflect upon the fluid nature of movement, paralleling the ebb and flow of life itself. It contemplates whether anyone would come to rescue the singer from their struggles

When he really starts to swim so, he swim with slink and mountain chicken, Milligan swim with Zangie eel and pusherman fleeing the island He strong alone on the swirling tides
As Milligan truly begins to swim, he does so alongside unique sea creatures like the slink and mountain chicken. He navigates the treacherous currents with resilience and strength, all while escaping the island

And early on the fifth day he met a merman And he asked the merman, he say, "Mister man, where my ïerè?" And the merman replied, "Ïerè dissolved in the flood like sugar in saliva, only fragments remain" "And Africa?" Milligan asked
On the fifth day of his journey, Milligan encounters a merman. Curiously, he inquires about his ïerè (a West African term for homeland). The merman explains that the homeland has been devastated and dispersed, leaving only fragmented remnants. Milligan then asks about the state of Africa

And to this the merman calmly replied, "Many died"
In response, the merman calmly reveals that numerous lives were lost

Milligan swam with the merman to the outskirts of an undersea kingdom He had heard about this place from the Baptist mythic, he had heard the pearl fishers' rum talk But its dimensions had long been underestimated by even eminent cartographers
Milligan accompanies the merman to the periphery of an underwater kingdom, a place he learned about through oral tales and stories. However, the true scale and scope of this kingdom had been consistently understated even by skilled mapmakers

Milligan saw the black coral caves, he saw the intricate emblems stitched in bone He saw humming fish dart between his awe and personal temple And on the outskirts, he could see the volcano plantation, spewing magma and pumice flame from the seabed And he saw that when the molten stone dried, crests and valleys were formed and within these were crystalline segue ways and subaquatic chambers where his people lived
Within the kingdom, Milligan explores the dark coral caves adorned with intricate bone symbols. He observes mesmerizing fish darting through the awe-inspiring surroundings. Additionally, he witnesses a volcanic plantation on the outskirts, emitting molten rock and fiery pumice from underwater. As the magma solidifies, it forms new landscapes, including crystalline passages and subaquatic chambers where his people reside

Milligan asked the merman, and the merman said, "Many things begin and end with the sea - indeed - the earth is hollow, not solid as was thought"
Milligan queries the merman about various aspects, prompting the merman to reveal that the sea holds great significance - being the starting point and culmination of many things. Furthermore, the merman shares the surprising insight that the earth is not completely solid, challenging previous beliefs

And such as these were the words that kept Milligan in Olukun’s kingdom, till soon he would not notice water And we never saw him again
Enamored by the profound knowledge and beauty of Olukun's kingdom, Milligan becomes detached from his surroundings and oblivious to the presence of water. Ultimately, he vanishes from our sight