Joni Mitchell Follow

Yesterday a child came out to wander
Caught a dragonfly insider a jar
Fearful when the skies are full of thunder
And tearful at the falling of a star.

(chorus)And the seasons, they go round and round
And the painted ponies go up and down.
We're captive on a 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.

Now the child's grown 10 times round the seasons
skated over 10 clear frozen streams
words like "when you're older" must appease him
and promises of someday make his dreams
(chorus)
sixteen springs and sixteen summers gone now
cartwheels turn to car wheels through the town
and they tell him "take your time it wont be long now"
till you drag your feet to slow that circle down
(chorus)
Now the child of yesterday's grown twenty
although some dreams are lost, some grandures coming true
there'll be new dreams, maybe better dreams and plenty
before the last revolving year is through
(chorus)