Baby Birch - Joanna Newsom

This is the song for Baby Birch

Though I will never know you

And at the back of what we’ve done

There is the knowledge of you

Well I wish we could take every path

Could spend a hundred years adoring you

Yes I wish we could take every path

Cause you know I hated to close the door on you

Do you remember staring up at the stars?

So far away in their bullet-proof cars

We heard the rushing, slow intake

Of the dark, dark water and the engine brakes

And I said how about them engine brakes?

And if I should die before I wake

Will you keep an eye on baby birch?

Because I’d hate to see her make the same mistake

When it was dark I called and you came

When it was dark I saw shapes

When I see stars I feel your hand

And I see stars and I reel again

Well mercy me, I’ll be goddamned!

It’s been a long, long time since I last saw you

And I have never known the plan

It’s been a long, long, time.

How are you?

Your eyes are green, your hair is gold

Your hair is black, your eyes are blue

I closed the ranks and I doubled back

But you know I hated to close the doggone door on you

We take a walk along the dirty lake

Hear the goose cussing at me over her eggs

You poor little cousin, I don’t want your dregs

A little baby fussing over my legs

There is a blacksmith 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 thought it’d be harder to do but I caught her and skinned her quick,

held her there

Kicking and mewling upended unspooling unsung and blue

Told her wherever you go little runaway bunny I will find you

And then she ran

As they’re liable to do

Be at peace baby, and be gone

Be at peace baby, and be gone