Trumpeter Swan

will you wipe the flour from your hands

and look this way?

perfect

now hold your apron by your side

perfect

no, no...your hair's just fine

perfect

will you let me paint you?

I'll take such pride

many sorrows, many ways life could be kinder

but you laugh a lot - life is still a surprise

meeting you and greeting you is always an armful

"oceans of love" crinkling in your eyes

neck white and eager

my Trumpeter Swan

gliding through the ferns the fronds

we feel your love

oh Trumpeter Swan

oh love on

now I see you kneeling amidst the fiddle-heads

and ferns at the side of the pond

weaving 13 magic flaxen shirts

for 13 brother swans

and never once in your sweet thoughts

do you ever think maybe you might fail

in your unknowing way your love is strong

me - I fear the 13 brother swans are going

me - I curse them when they've gone

but you will never know for we will rearrange

the ferns and fronds to re-surround you

the devil makes us see more

and you don't see more

but somehow you go beyond

neck white and eager

my Trumpeter Swan

gliding through the ferns the fronds

we feel your love

oh Trumpeter Swan

oh love on

when I think of you I think of Christmas

of oranges and mangers on the mantelpiece

of red and greens and velvets

of stars that twinkle on the Christmas tree

I don't know if trumpeter swans are immortal

but if ever from this beautiful pond you should fly

the reason would be...the reason would be

you were loved too much by them by I

neck white and eager

my Trumpeter Swan

gliding through the ferns the fronds

we feel your love

oh Trumpeter Swan

oh love on