Jane Siberry The White Tent The Raft
there's a red leaf that falls from a purple tree it falls it floats down
one red leaf against a clear blue sky it floats down
past the marbles in the clearing
beneath the geese in flight
to the darkening river in the autumn light
where it touches down
oh like a great bird landing
tears of autumn
there's a white tent that sits in the middle of a raft that floats down
floats down the middle of a river, of a stream, floating down
and the tears streaming from the mind's eye
streaming back beyond the white sheets that flap and fly
oh tears of wanting
the white tent the raft
the white tent the raft
the white tent the raft
fists and chests
mango clearing:
oh mango in the clearing
it's his leg or something
waiting
everything would be alright
watching the trees
then his toes
then the trees
deeper into the jungle
and leaves him there
we turn off the tv
never forget that night
never heard you
couldn't sleep
hotel window
get up to those dark peaks
everything would be alright
(transparent):
there's a clearing to the right
there's mango
clutching his knees
looking at his feet
watching the trees
bees bees
like he's always there
that he doesn't care
maybe not
but he's been waiting there
for them to return
for a long long time
i get angry as i watch
see him wait
only half alive
so patient there
looking at his toes
picking at his fur
watching the trees
... finally she comes
picks him up
safe now
clings to her
waited all this time
i guess he was right
what do i know
at both things i cried
and she holds him tight
knows his little body well
he's come from her
she moves back into the trees
not like northern trees
but the jungle somewhere
moves deeper and deeper
into the thickness
she leaves him there
why should he survive?...
i turn off the tv
that night we both cried
i will never forget that night
another man, dancing
i came back so alive
you were so open
someone i didn't talk to much
not really talk
------
though travelled side by side
we cried for mango
you were so open
--
side by side
mango in the clearing
the ships in the harbour
finally fell asleep
cried ourselves
well, i couldn't sleep
got up
frowned alone
the middle of the night
the summer breeze
raised my eyes
up to the peaks
so dark and moving back
the crouch white
and i knew
if i could only get there
everything would be alright
the white tent the raft
the white tent the raft
the white tent the raft
fists and chests
great overcoat clearing:
and when it's not our great overcoat
it's a grey and yellow dress
so beautiful the bees they followed you through the mall
to the clearing in the wilderness
and you lay down and i picked you up
and i said you must never leave
your beautiful hands like knitting needles
and i said-it's jane it's me
she said-when you go that's when you go
lighten up and pass the cup
fifty bucks and that's all you got?
yeah i love you i love you a lot
(transparent):
(ASSISI, ITALY 1986)
as you move away from me
for whatever it all means
i call you back but you don't hear
at least you have some joy in my dreams
and when it's not my great overcoat
it's a grey and yellow dress
i tried to find for you
so beautiful the bees followed you too
through the mall
out into the fields where the flowers blow
and when i woke one night
and the wind was blowing ceaselessly
and with such violence
i walked out to the terrace
to throw myself off
then the darkness charged
my shirt with such light
i forgot my purpose
and drifted away
through the gardens
to find my great overcoat
and i sat and waited for you
i waited and watched
but you lay transparent and waxen
only your see-through fingers
fluttering a description
of her "silver umbrella
the most beautiful you had ever seen"
you can't ever leave me
because part of me goes with you
and part of you stays with me
and waits for the wind to stop
and understands the silence with me
and drifts through the darkened garden
in our great overcoat
`til we are stopped by a marbled portico
that stares at us like a map
i've remembered and will
for many years
or all my life
for who will know
when i lay back
the time i go
my hands will flutter
in the same way
like the sifting snow
the drifting snow
the silver umbrella
it was so beautiful...
i'd never ever ever ever...
it's very warm
are you warm...
there's water nearby
i can tell...
(assisi, italy `86)
and her soul escaped or tried to
but me- i tried not to let her
i ran and picked her up
she was light as a feather
and her hands were knitting needles
and we talked about the weather
and the hands fluttered in the air
about a silver umbrella she saw there
her friend has won it at the fair
the most beautiful she'd ever seen
fluttered down the autumn leaves
caught like jags of silver
in the woolen weave of my love for her
i said - it's me
you must never ever leave
and her hands described a silver umbrella
or was it a silver tent...
or was it a white tent now...
there's a white tent that sits in the middle of a raft that floats down
floats down the middle of a river, of a stream, floating down
and the tears streaming from the mind's eye
streaming back beyond the white sheets that flap and fly
oh tears of hardness
the white tent the raft
the white tent the raft
the white tent the raft
fists and chests
overkill clearing:
found the snake in the clearing
and it tried to kill him of course
but then...only after it tried to get away
he said-youse the meanest ugliest low-down
and he cursed and swore
gonna shoot the damn thing
(i'll never let nobody hurt you)
i watched from the raft
and i withdrew my scent
it's not hard to kill a snake
the white tent the raft
the white tent the raft
the white tent the raft
fists and chests
angry clearing:
what do you mean i love you
stop saying i love you
i don't know what you mean anyway
i don't know what love is and...
you don't know what love is and...
it doesn't change anything anyway
ah...who cares
who gives a...
because all i see
is more hate
more fear
less light than before me
the white tent the raft
the white tent the raft
the white tent the raft
fists and chests
bird clearing:
get off my branch...
stick legs-they are not
this is my tree
it's getting lighter
i'm talking to you
turn down your radio
dawn is coming
run!
every morning when the sun comes up
as long as he can get up!get up!
yeah i love you i love you a lot
lighten up and pass the cup
there's a thousand white tents on a thousand rafts all floating down
there's a thousand fists and a thousand chests they come thundering down
and the tears streaming for a thousand eyes
streaming back beyond the white sheets
that flap and fly
oh tears of hunger
there's a white tent that blows in the middle of a raft that floats down
down the middle of a long and lonely dream
or is it lovely? can't always tell...
and the clearings pass
like blowing scarfs
the slightly familiar
the slightly apart
and the river never runs dry
oh tears of open
the white tent the raft
the white tent the raft
and one red leaf for my love...for your love