What a legacy, what a legacy this man has left.
" It's all over ", but nothing's even started yet.
He wants his sweet cyanide medication.
It's too simple without the help of elucidation.
"Can we hasten?" Yes, we can hasten.

Lay down your burden;
down by the riverside.
Lay down your burden;
by the side of Guyana -
Guyana.

Calm your children; they are the first ones to go.
Hush my child it'll be over before you know.
Lay down your life with dignity.
Don't lay down with tears and agony.
Look children, it's just something to put you to rest.
It's so sad that they died without ever recieving the best.

Lay down your burden;
down by the riverside.
Lay down your burden;
by the side of Guyana -
Guyana.

No, no sorrow.
It will be all over tomorrow.
"Let's be dignified";
Can't you see they're terrified?

Lay down your burden;
down by the riverside.
Lay down your burden;
by the side of Guyana -
Guyana

What an inhumane world indeed....

Author's Note: This poem/song is deeply inspired by the mass suicide of the cult The People's Temple that happened in 1978. Over 900 people died that day; and almost 300 of those were innocent children. The leader of the cult was Jim Jones, and he conducted the most notorious and deadly cult suicide recording in history. This poem/songcontainsquotes from the suicide tape; he made a fifty minute recording of the events of the suicides on cassette; some voiced their opinions of concern, but in the end went along with the suicide. Whatever is in quotes is from the tape, and a few small lines are mixed with my own words. This happened in Jonestown, Guyana. The group was formed in the US, but eventually moved to Guyana and formed Jonestown where they sadly killed themselves with Flavor-Aid drinks laced with Valium and Cyanide.