Crone: Here upon this pillow Made of reed and willow You're a fickle little twister Are you sweet on your sister? Your fallow won't leave you alone
And granted for their pleasure Possesions laid to measure She's a salty little pisser With your cock in her kisser But now she's a will of her own
PART II
Husband: Damn your ankles and eyes wide From you fingernails to your ponytails too King of the insects and the M-5 Over Charlemagne in a motorcade too
And baby needs a new prize Baby needs a new and shiny prize
Captain: In this place called heavenly You were born here This place called heavenly You were born here You were born here
Husband: And now all the marchers descend from high I will dedicate all of my awakenings to this
And damn all the angles that oppress my sight I will bleed your heart through a samovar soon
Captain: In this place called heavenly You were born here This place called heavenly You were born here You were born here
PART III
Soldier: They settled dust in your hair To watch you shake and shout it out With our armaments bared We shed our bags and travel-alls
From the lee of the wall He comes in the chang and the chariot And all his eunuchs in thrall Can scarce lift his line and lariat
Here come loose his hounds To blow me down
Chorus of waifs: Blow me down
Soldier: On this stretch of ground I'll lay me down
Chorus of waifs: Lay me down
Soldier: To sleep
Chaplain: And now stricken with pangs That tear at our backs like thistle down The mirror's soft silver tain Reflects our last and birthing hour
Soldier: Here come loose his hounds To blow me down
Chorus of waifs: Blow me down
Soldier: On this stretch of ground I'll lay me down
Chorus of waifs: Lay me down
Soldier: To sleep
PART IV
Evening
Widow: O, the wind is blowing, it hurts your skin As you climb up hillside, forest and fen
Your arms full of lullabies, orchids and wine Your memories wrapped within paper and twine
The room that you lie in is dusty and hard Sleeping soft babies on piles of yards Of gingham, taffeta, cotton, and silk Your dry hungry mouths cry for your mother's milk
When the dawn comes to greet you, you'll rise with clothes on And advance with the others, singing old songs Of cattle and maidens and withered old queens Let the music carry you on
The room that you lie in is dusty and hard Sleeping soft babies on piles of yards Of gingham, taffeta, cotton, and silk Your dry hungry mouths cry for your mother's milk
PART V
Woman: Darling dear, what have you done? Your clothes are torn, your make-up runs
Daughter: I ran through brambles, blooming thistle I washed my face in the river when you whistled me on
Woman: Darling dear, what have you done? Your hands and face are smeared with blood
Daughter: The chaplain came and called me out To beat and to butcher his mother's sow
Woman: But darling dear, they found him dead This morning on the riverbed
But hush now darling, don't you cry Your reward's in the sweet by-and -by Hush now baby, don't you cry Your reward's in the sweet by-and-by
Crone: And now we've seen your powers Softly stretch the hours You're a fickle little twister Are you sweet on your sister? As now you go wandering home