THE CIRCLE GAME...

Yesterday a child came out to wonder 
Caught a dragonfly inside a jar 
Fearful when the sky was full of thunder 
And tearful at the falling of a star 
Then the child moved 
ten times round the seasons 
Skated over ten clear frozen streams 
Words like when you're 
older must appease him 
And promises of someday
make his dreams 
And the seasons they go round and round 
And the painted ponies go up and down 
We're captive on the carousel of time 
We can't return we can only look 
 Behind from where we came 
And go round and round and round 
In the circle game  
Sixteen springs and sixteen summers gone now 
Cartwheels turn to car wheels thru the town 
And they tell him take your time it won't be long now 
Till you drag your feet to slow the circles down 
And the seasons they go round and round 
And the painted ponies go up and down 
We're captive on the carousel of time 
We can't return we can only look 
Behind from where we came 
And go round and round and round 
In the circle game 
So the years spin by and now the boy is twenty 
Though his dreams have lost some grandeur coming true 
There'll be new dreams maybe better dreams and plenty 
Before the last revolving year is through 
And the seasons they go round and round 
And the painted ponies go up and down 
We're captive on the carousel of time 
We can't return we can only look 
Behind from where we came 
And go round and round and round 
In the circle game
~
Joni Mitchell