The White Tent The Raft Lyrics

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