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THE CIRCLE GAME Lyrics

Artist: Joni Mitchell
Album: Ladies of The Canyon

THE CIRCLE GAME

Yesterday a child came out to wonder
Caught a dragonfly 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

Sixteen springs and sixteen summers gone now
Cartwheels turn to car wheels thru the town
And they tell him,
Take your time, it won't be long now
Till you drag your feet just to slow the circles down
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

So the years spin by and now the boy is twenty
Though his 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 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

Comments/Interpretations

by rick lake on 5/19/2008 11:11pm
just a note.. joni did not write this... both lyrics and music was actually written by my friend Brian Michael Barkey... thought i would pass that bit of trivia on ... few people know it

by Todd Haemmerle on 6/1/2008 5:00pm
No way that was written by your friend - sorry. it's definitely joni's - it's a documented fact.

by Kathanne O'brien on 6/5/2008 5:08pm
i love her she is amazing i especially love this song

by Cathy White on 8/21/2008 8:14am
A bunch of us Mom's sending their son's off to college are particularly moved by these lyrics!

by Keith Richards, lll on 7/29/2011 10:56am
This chick just needs to get some serious cock and stop playing with herself!