The Circle Game

Lyricist: Joni Mitchell     Composer: Joni Mitchell

Yesterday a child come out to wonder caught a dragon fly inside a jar
Fearful when the sky was full of thunder and tearful 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 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

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

Six-teen springs and six-teen summers gone now
Cart-wheels turn to car-wheels thou' the town
And they tell him take you're time it won't be long now
Till you drag your feet to slow the circles down

So the years spin by and now the boy is twenty
Though his dreams have lost some grandeur coming true
There's be new dreams may be 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

And go round and round and round in the circle game