BABY BIRCH
CAPO 2

             
this is the so

       
ng for Baby Bi

rch
            
though i will 

              
never know you
             
and at the bac

      
k of what we'v

e done
            
there is the k

             
nowledge of yo

   
u

             
well, i wish w

              
e could take e


very path
              
could spend a 

            
hundred years 

          
adoring you
             
yes, i wish we

              
 could take ev

 
ery path
            
because i hate

              
d to close the

           
 door on you

             
do you remembe

             
r staring up a

         
t the stars
            
so far away in

             
 their bulletp

      
roof cars?
             
when we heard 

             
the rushing, s

low intake
            
of the dark, d

              
ark water in t

         
he engine brak

es?

             
and i said to 

              
you, "well, ho

              
w about them e


ngine brakes?"
            
and if i shoul

             
d die before i


 wake,
             
Will you keep 

            
an eye on Baby

 Birch?
            
because i'd ha

              
te to see her 

              
make the same 

      
mistake

            
when it was da

           
rk, i called a

      
nd you came
            
when it was da

       
rk, i saw shap

es
              
when I see sta

         
rs, i feel in 

          
your hand
          
and I see star

             
s, and I reel 


again.

 
             
Well mercy me.

       
 I'll be godda

mned.
             
It's been a lo

        
ng, long time
            
since I last s

aw you.
             
And I have nev

    
er known the p

lan.
            
It's been a lo

ng, long time.
       
How are you?
             
Your eyes are 

            
green. Your ha

ir is gold.
            
Your hair is b

             
lack. Your eye

      
s are blue.
             
I closed the r

            
anks, and I do

ubled back—
              
but, you know,

    
 I hated to cl

ose
             
the door on yo


u.

          
We take a walk

             
 along the dir

   
ty lake.
Hear the goose,
         
cussing at me 

          
over her eggs.
              
You poor littl

  
e cousin.
              
I don't want y

    
our dregs
              
(A little baby

         
 fussing all o

       
ver my legs).
              
             
There is a bla


cksmith,
and there is a shepherd,
and there is a butcher-boy,
              
and there is a

  
 barber, who's

 cutting
and cutting away at my only joy.
       
I saw a rabbit

,
as slick as a knife,
and as pale as a candlestick,
           
and I had thou

ght it'd be ha

rder to do,
but I caught her, and skinned her quick:
held her there,

kicking and me

wling, 
upended, unspooling, unsung and blue;
          
told her "wher

ever you go,
little runaway bunny,
I will find you."
             
And then she r


an,
              
as they're lia

       
ble to do.

             
Be at peace, b

      
aby, and begon

e. 

,  to fade