Meadowlark (Live)

When I was a girl I had a favorite story

Of a meadowlark who lived where the rivers wind

Her voice could match the angels in its glory

But she was blind

The lark was blind

An old king came and took her to his palace

Where the walls were burnished bronze and golden braid

And he fed her fruit and nuts from an ivory chalice

And he prayed

"Sing for me, my meadowlark

Sing for me of the silver morning

Set me free, my meadowlark

And I'll buy you a precious jewel

And cloth of brocade and crewel

And I'll love you for life if you will

Sing for me"

Then one day as the lark sang by the water

The god of the sun heard her in his flight

And her singing moved him so he came and brought her

The gift of sight

He gave her sight

And she opened her eyes to the shimmer and the splendor

Of this beautiful young god so proud and strong

And he called to the lark in a voice both rough and tender,

"Come along"

"Fly with me, my meadowlark

Fly with me on the silver morning

Past the sea where the dolphins bark

We will dance on the coral beaches

Make a feast of the plums and peaches

Just as far as your vision reaches

Fly with me"

But the meadowlark said no

For the old king loved her so

She couldn't bear to wound his pride

So the sun god flew away

And when the king came down that day

He found his meadowlark had died

Every time I heard that part

I cried

And now I stand here starry-eyed and stormy

Oh just when I thought my heart was finally numb

A beautiful young man appears before me

Singing, "Come

Oh won't you come"

And what can I do if finally for the first time

The one I'm burning for returns the glow

If love has come at last, it's picked the worst time

Still I know

I've got to go

Fly away, meadowlark

Fly away in the silver morning

If I stay I'll grow to curse the dark

So it's off where the days won't bind me

I know I'll leave wounds behind me

But I won't let tomorrow find me

Back this way

Before my past once again can blind me

Fly away

And we won't wait

To say goodbye

My beautiful young man

And I