Joni Mitchell
Lyric guide

The Circle Game

Read The Circle Game lyrics by Joni Mitchell on LyroVerse, with linked artist context and related song paths.

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Page type: lyric reference Artist: Joni Mitchell Canonical path: /mitchell-joni/the-circle-game Related lyric paths: 6
Lyrics

The Circle Game

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Yesterday a child came out to wonder

Caught a dragonfly inside a jar

Fearful when the sky was full of thunder

And tearful at the falling of a star

And the seasons they go round and round

And the painted ponies go up and down

We're captive on the carousel of time

We can't return we can only look behind

From where we came

And go round and round and round

In the circle game

Then the child moved ten times round the seasons

Skated over ten clear frozen streams

Words like, when you're older, must appease him

And promises of someday make his dreams

And the seasons they go round and round

And the painted ponies go up and down

We're captive on the carousel of time

We can't return we can only look behind

From where we came

And go round and round and round

In the circle game

Sixteen springs and sixteen summers gone now

Cartwheels turn to car wheels thru the town

And they tell him,

Take your time, it won't be long now

Till you drag your feet to slow the circles down

And the seasons they go round and round

And the painted ponies go up and down

We're captive on the carousel of time

We can't return we can only look behind

From where we came

And go round and round and round

In the circle game

So the years spin by and now the boy is twenty

Though his dreams have lost some grandeur coming true

There'll be new dreams, maybe better dreams and plenty

Before the last revolving year is through

And the seasons they go round and round

And the painted ponies go up and down

We're captive on the carousel of time

We can't return, we can only look behind

From where we came

And go round and round and round

In the circle game

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Who performs "The Circle Game"?

Joni Mitchell performs "The Circle Game", and this lyric page sits inside the Joni Mitchell catalog on LyroVerse.

Are there related songs to explore after "The Circle Game"?

Yes. The related section below points to A Bird That Whistles and A Strange Boy with a short reason for opening each page next.

Where can I find more songs by Joni Mitchell?

Use the artist link near the top of the page or the related paths section below to keep moving through Joni Mitchell's lyric pages.

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