The White Tent The Raft - Siberry Jane

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