You Morning Dove

I have been listening to Joanna Newsom's magnificent latest triple album opus, 

Have one on me, and feel very grateful for such a poetic, soulful, 

magical soundtrack to the blossoming beauty of these days.

Soft as chalk

So, so long ago, and so far away 

When time was just a line 

That you fed me when you wanted to stay 

We'd talk as soft as chalk 

Till morning came, 

Pale as a pearl 

No time, no time 

Now I have got all the time in the world 

Say, honey did you belong to me? 

Tell me, honey, was your heart at rest 

When, darlin all the morning doves were howling out 

Their song of love, oh godawful lawlessness? 

Lawlessness. 

Say honey, did you belong to me? 

Tell me, darlin, did I pass the test? 

I lay as still as death until the dawn 

Whereupon I rested from your godawful lawlessness. 

Lawlessness! 

I roamed around the tidy grounds 

Of my dapple sanatorium 

Coat-less I sit, among the moles adrift 

And I dote upon my pinesap gum. 

And the light through the pines in brassy tines 

Lays over me, dim as rum 

Thick as molasses, and so time passes 

And so my heart, tomorrow comes 

And I see you leaning out back with the crickets 

Loyal heart marking the soon-ness, darkness tonight. 

Still the morning doves will summon us their song of love 

Never dulling lawlessness. Lawlessness! 

Well over and over we're up and down, around, 

Trying to sound out or guess the reasons. 

I sleep like a soldier without breath 

But there's no treason where there is only lawlessness. 

Lawlessness! 

In the last week of the last year, I was aware. 

Took a blind shot across the creek at the black bear. 

When he roused me in the night 

And left me cowering with my light, calling out... 

Who is there? Who's there? Who IS there? 

Well I watched you sleep, repeating my prayers. 

You give love a little shove and it becomes... terror. 

And now I am calling in sadness, beyond anger and beyond fear 

Who is there? Who's there? And who IS there??? 

I glare and nod like the character, God, 

Bearing down upon our houses and lawns. 

I knew a little bit, and darling you were it, 

And, darling, now it is long gone. 

Sweetheart, you your clean bright start, 

Back there behind the hill and the dell. 

In the state line of twelve I'll be thinking on you, 

Yes I'll be thinking and be wishing you well. 

We land, I stand, but I wait for the sound of the bell. 

I have to catch a cab and my bags are at the carousel. 

And then, I'll just spend time alone, one lonely tale.... 

You morning dove!