Juniper

Mama, oh mama, I don’t wanna come down
Not if it’s all like it was on the ground
Hiding my feet 'cause I’m too shy to dance
Hiding my face behind both of my hands
Mama, oh mama, don’t make me come down
'cause I don’t know what will come out of my mouth
People will hear they won’t know who I am
People will hear and they won’t understand
Mama, I’ve seen them, the others like me
Once I could see it was all I could see
The silent procession that crosses the snow
In which skeleton ladies like skeletons go
Mama, oh mama, up here where I’m free
I have seen beauty you wouldn’t believe
Juniper’s ledges and Juniper’s birds
Where Juniper’s edges and mine become blurred
Mama, oh mama, if you only heard
The reasons for living, the freedom of words
The blooming balloon of a thought being born
Safe in the branches of Juniper’s arms
Mama, oh mama, I’m not like you think
Some harrowing walker down narrowing streets
If I had my way I would bring the whole world
Every sleepwalker and each hungry girl
Mama, oh mama, and old uncle Tom
My father the thinker, my daughter the song
Tell every bell to just wake up and ring
Tell this whole choir to just shut up and sing
Mama, oh mama, I’m holding your hand
In these glorious dreams in which you understand
Mama, oh mama, we’re spinning around
Mama, oh mama, don’t make me come down