VERSE
The Circle Game
Joni Mitchell
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
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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Translated byAllen Morningstar
About this Song
The Circle Game by Joni Mitchell is a profound exploration of the passage of time and the inevitability of aging. The song contemplates the different stages of life, from youthful dreams and innocence to the bittersweet realizations of adulthood. Key themes include the cyclic nature of time, personal growth, and the loss of innocence. Poignant moments in the song highlight the transition from childhood to adulthood, emphasizing that life is a continuous loop, much like a 'circle game.' It resonates with the universal human experience of growing older and reflecting on past dreams and future aspirations.
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