Uploaded December 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
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[Video Description: Jennah Bell, a young black woman with long hair and glasses, sings an original song she composed using the words of Hellen Keller as lyrics. Archival photographs show Helen Keller throughout her extraordinary life.]
Jennah Bell (Singing): Once I knew the depth
where no hope and darkness lay
Beat myself against the wall that shut me in
But a little word from the fingers of another
Love came like the fire within the flint
Oh, the mortal hours I sat
scattered like gold-dust
My soul sinks, as if into the sea
It was, through the hands of others
my soul sweeps upwards, on its majestic wings
Every particle of skin, touches and is touched
For it is my hand that binds me to humanity
When it rains, when the spring winds blow
upon my hands, flowers have spoken
With me, what I feel, I see
What I feel, I see
We are taught that
competition is essential
put off 'til tomorrow
what I might better do today
Life is either a daring adventure or nothing
Each galaxy discovered, is another proof of change
I have learned much
Wearing the feathers of darkness
The best, and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen
Of course the furrows of suffering have been dug deeper
But so have those of understanding sympathy
Every particle of skin, touches and is touched
For it is my hand that binds me to humanity
When it rains, when the spring winds blow
upon my hands, flowers have spoken
With me, what I feel, I see
With me, what I feel, I see
What I feel, I see
Visit afb.org/Donate to support our work.
[Video Description: Jennah Bell, a young black woman with long hair and glasses, sings an original song she composed using the words of Hellen Keller as lyrics. Archival photographs show Helen Keller throughout her extraordinary life.]
Jennah Bell (Singing): Once I knew the depth
where no hope and darkness lay
Beat myself against the wall that shut me in
But a little word from the fingers of another
Love came like the fire within the flint
Oh, the mortal hours I sat
scattered like gold-dust
My soul sinks, as if into the sea
It was, through the hands of others
my soul sweeps upwards, on its majestic wings
Every particle of skin, touches and is touched
For it is my hand that binds me to humanity
When it rains, when the spring winds blow
upon my hands, flowers have spoken
With me, what I feel, I see
What I feel, I see
We are taught that
competition is essential
put off 'til tomorrow
what I might better do today
Life is either a daring adventure or nothing
Each galaxy discovered, is another proof of change
I have learned much
Wearing the feathers of darkness
The best, and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen
Of course the furrows of suffering have been dug deeper
But so have those of understanding sympathy
Every particle of skin, touches and is touched
For it is my hand that binds me to humanity
When it rains, when the spring winds blow
upon my hands, flowers have spoken
With me, what I feel, I see
With me, what I feel, I see
What I feel, I see
