the circle game

yesterday a child came out to wander

caught a dragonfly inside a jar

fearfull when the sky is full of thunder

and tearfull at the falling of a star

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 cant 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 your older" must appease her

and promises of someday make her dream

and the seasons they go round and round

and the painted ponies go up and down

we're all captive on the carousel of time

we cant 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 through the town

and they tell her, "take your time, it wont be long now

'till you drag yuor feet to slow the circle down"

and the seasons they go round and round

and the painted ponies go up and down

we're all captive on the carousel of time

we cant 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 girl is twenty

though her dreams have lost some grandeur coming true

there'll be new dreams, maybe better dreams and plenty

before the last revolving year is though

and the seasons they go round and round

and the painted ponies go up and down

we're all captive on the carousel of time

we cant return we can only look, behind from where we came

and go round and round and round in the circle game.