The Circle Game

Yesterday a child came out to wander Caught a dragonfly inside a jar

Fearful when the sky was full of thunder And tearful at the falling of a star

In the seasons, they go round and round And the painted ponies go up and down

We're captive on a 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 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"

In the seasons they go round and round And the painted ponies go up and down

We're captive on a 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. 16 springs and 16 summers gone now, cartwheels

turn to carwheels through the town. They tell him, take your time, it won't be

long now, till you drag your feet to slow the circles

down In the seasons, they go round and round

And the painted ponies go up and down We're captive on a 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 Those 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 a 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