Jane Siberry The Bird In The Gravel
the master: i was dreaming in the steam room everything was so clear for a minute and i thought... and the dripping tiles and... and i say i'll confess everything yes. i own this land i own these forests surrounding my...my estate this is my tea coming everything i can-i confess the servant: bend now i have the bend the best i ever place the tea just so then release and turn oh no not yet then release then go better try again looking at me he's wait til tomorrow don't want him to know next time he orders tea release and turn turn and limp away turn and limp away the maid: i was walking through the forest on my break today i had this funny feeling something was going to change i was walking through the dry leaves it was very strange they hadn't changed their colour all the leaves were green i don't mind when it's over i don't mind when it's all done it's just the moments in between just before it's gone something's going to happen something's going to change i know i know i know... the pantry: and when autumn comes well, there's lots of work to do bill-that means you time to clean the kettles and the pots on the wall pickling and preserving all the vegetables stop kicking the apples are we pickling this year? yes-you know we are and when autumn comes well, there's lots of work to do bill-that means you time to get the twigs up-you know, all those stick things time to trim back the roses so next year even more grow does it hurt them to do that? does it hurt them? no. (truck driver - francesco) and when autumn comes well, deliveries start to go here he is now down into the valley to the market he goes down along the tiny roads that wind along the vineyards and people lean on their rakes and they say hello hello there francesco francesco there hello the bird: (high sustain) a boy coming home from lesson another boy: and those are my swans, believe me... there's no light. and there isn't because... it's so dark. because it's so dark. because it's so dark. the maid: i was walking through the dry leaves it was very strange the leaves fell without changing no yellows and no reds something's going to happen something's going to change and just then as i looked up i remembered what you said i'm crying because i love you i know that things must change i can't be there when you leave what if you're afraid you said something about the leaving the moments in between the yawning when the world shifts the clanging of the trains and a dog sits up and growls and a cow begins to bawl and a nun nearby stops to listen cross herself and then move on i was laughing in the forest i fell down in the leaves and i watched the trees above me crossing in the breeze i love the bare branches i love the healing bells the bareness in the last sun the greyness and the gold and a flock of geese flew over and i laughed harder still i laughed til i was heaving then everything was still the servant: bend now i have the bend place the tea just so then release and turn oh not yet turn away then go better try again he's looking at me wait until tomorrow don't want him to know next time time he orders tea release and turn turn and limp away... limp away just go turn away just go just go... just go... just go... -------