Lady With A Fan
Let my inspiration flow
in token rhyme suggesting rhythm
that will not forsake me
till my tale is told and done
while the firelight's aglow
strange shadows in the flames will grow
till things we've never seen
will seem familiar
shadows of a sailor forming
winds both foul and fair all swarm
down in Carlisle he loved a lady
many years ago
here beside him stands a man
a soldier from the looks of him
who came through many fights
but lost at love
while the storyteller speaks
a door within the fire creaks
suddenly flies open
and a girl is standing there
eyes alight with glowing hair
all that fancy paints as fair
she takes her fan and throws it
in the lion's den
"which of you to gain me tell
will risk uncertain pains of hell?
i will not forgive you
if you will not take the chance"
the sailor gave at least a try
the soldier being much too wise
strategy was his strength
and not disaster
the sailor coming out again
the lady fairly leapt at him
that's how it stands today
you decide if he was wise
the storyteller makes no choice
soon you will not hear his voice
his job is to shed light
and not to master
since the end is never told
we pay the teller off in gold
in hopes he will come back
but he cannot be bought or sold
terrapin station
inspiration move me brightly
light the song with sense and color
hold away despair
more than this i will not ask
faced with mysteries dark and vast
statements just seem vain at last
some rise, some fall, some climb
to get to Terrapin
counting stars by candlelight
all are dim but one is bright
the spiral light of Venus
rising first and shinning best,
from the northwest corner
of a brand new crescent moon
crickets and cicadas sing
a rare and different tune
Terrapin station
in the shadow of the moon
Terrapin station
and i know we'll be there soon
Terrapin-i can't figure out
Terrapin-if it's the end or beginning
Terrapin-but the train has got its breaks on
and the whistle is screaming: Terrapin
at a siding
while you were gone
these spaces filled with darkness
the obvious was hidden
0with nothing to believe in
the compass always points to Terrapin
the sullen wings of fortune beat like rain
you're back in Terrapin for good or ill again
for good or ill again
return to Terrapin
up these steps beside me climb
to Terrapin and pints sublime
robbed of reason, faith and name
broken hearted blind and lame
slain by doubt, mistaken trust
abandoned in the rain to rust
shriveled by the heat of day
torn to shreds by birds of prey
shapeless in the fire's glow
tell me if you think you know
who it was we were below
where we've been and where we go
Lilies have the bees to tend them
grasses have the breeze to bend them
broken hearts have tears to mend them
show us stairs, we will ascend them
stair by stair by stair we climb
voices hushed to sighs by time
speak our souls in pantomime
clear cold bells of winter chime
pale through this ghostly haze
the dawn of a newborn moon
illuminates an ancient maze
of tumbled stones rough hewn
trust your faith and enter
by paths the heart divines
the sun lies at the center
through gates of creeping vines
how faint the rays
of former days
in avenues of time-
but it does shine,
emblem of sight,
pride of the eyes
that shatters shadow
and all the dark defies
let the sun rise!
ivory wheels/rosewood track
ivory wheels on a rosewood track
take us back again again to Terrapin
smokestack thunder-pay the price,
clock in the sky says a quarter to twice
-we roll again
hello, good soldier, where you been?
did you take the wrong way 'round to
get to Terrapin?
some for reasons great or small
rise, climb, fall to get to Terrapin
the demon's daughter used too lay for gin
in the shack way back on the skirts of the fens
of Terrapin
the demon himself got drunk all night
collapsed at the sunrise service-he was
very tight
captain billy lyon from Louisiana low
used to chase a bayou girl through here
named peggy-o
some say he died of love for peggy-o
others say it was the devil himself laid
billy low
one-eyed sailor with a cheshire grin
that must be the jack o' roses bound
for Terrapin
chasing that lady-o through the bayou,
swore to god in the lightning storm he'd
catch her too
fortune dealt him such a strait hand
he saw no reason not to trust it more,
and retrieved her fan
the lions looked up in surprise
but they backed off when they saw
the madness in his eyes
Venus rises from the sea
on the back of a mighty Terrapin
with a coral fan
throws that fan to the diamond beach
always a little out of reach-but
try again
some for reasons great or small
rise, climb, fall to get to Terrapin
and i know you
endless recognitions pour
like honey from a honey jar;
lights from near and distant stars
come streaming through the door
tonight i do not know my face
from one who looks the same
by flicker of unburning flame
inside this old familiar place
fortune sweet and bitter fate
converse beside the open fire
removed from weavings of desire,
twisted skeins of love and hate
and i know you
yes i do
i know you-
and you know me-
i could swear
you know me too
we have been together
since the firstborn seed of light
reflected on the water
and divided day from night
sometimes we were strangers
sometimes we were friends
dreamed up lives of danger
broke hearts and made amends
it's time to leave fair Terrapin
head down the stairs again
step by step return below
fill the blanks in as we go
find out what we need to know;
from gossip if it must be so
forsake this cool and kindly light
for troubled day and sleepless night
or shall i go while you remain;
search below for you in vain
find you here from time to time
elusive subject of a rhyme?
or would you rather go alone
in unfamiliar flesh and bone,
meet and put me to the test,
a scarlet flower at your breast?
i don't know how we chose before,
for love or sorrow, peace or war
but where our paths unite the two
you always know me
yes you do- and know that i know you
jack o' roses
what makes your sweet breast
heave, my dear
your bright eyes fill with tears?
did the jack o' roses leave you here
these seven lonely years?
had you fear hew might be dead
unwept in some far land?
or worse that love itself had fled
betrayed both heart and hand?
jack o' roses with a fan
east of Eden turned
built his castles in the sand
and all their bridges burned
wait for him
don't take no other
no demon lover
who'll be gone at dawn
did you throw your fan
too far this time?
well, well, well. . .
from the lion's den
to the morning star
to the gates of hell!
the morning star rose into hell
three days to shine on Moses
and from his solitary cell
to free the jack o' roses
he sprang to saddle like the wind, i allow
for bridle strands of lightning
ride, ride, ride through the tempest howl
cruelly and most frightening
for at the dawn fair Terrapin
arose like revelation
the morning star reflected in
the windows of Terrapin station
Terrapin
if anyone should ask of you who made this
song
say the jack o' roses and all who played
along
who rise, climb, fall to win
Terrapin
what have we to lose from love
except what lacks foundation?
words can only carve the space
we fill with expectation
the lion's den lies far behind
in visions of the damned
jack o' roses one more time:
my lady, here's your fan
Terrapin
let me rise, let me fall, let me climb, let me
crawl
but let me in
accept this fan as a token of what i meant
to do
for i really do love you
Leaving Terrapin
be careful how you speak of us
take no one's name in vain
someday we are bound to meet
in Terrapin again
and we lose our faith and trust,
guide us, though insane,
through cataracts of wailing souls
in search of face and name
was it you along beside me
who crawled out of the sea?
who is that one sleeping
in the shadow of a tree?
who is that beside her?
is it who it seems to be?
do not disturb their slumber
oh, true love, let them be
prophetic dreams and peaceful,
not tumultuous and deep
ease the crease upon their brows
and smile upon their sleep
while starfish gather coral
beneath the foam and froth,
they offer hymns to Isis
Orpheus and Astoroth
although the stars have shifted,
we're not lost
the westward blowing breeze
decides our course
seems such a long, long time
since we last sighted land
but a sea bird brought
an olive branch
and dropped it in my hand
all of this was sung before
and shall be sung again
forgotten songs
reclaim their tunes
when leaving Terrapin
Orion sparkles overhead
but just a bit misplaced
visions rescued from the dead
speak from your living face
you look to me like starshine
on the foothills of the moon
while crickets make the rhythm
and cicadas play the tune
when the music falters
its melody worn thin,
the light refrains from shinning
on the gates of Terrapin
the banners of the station hang
like cobwebs from a dream
echoes fade where music rang
and candles lose their gleam
breath flies from the body
and inspiration fails
the storyteller packs his kit
and leaves the land of tales
if i've been a long long time
it's not that love of you
has been forsaken or forgot
or halved and broke in two
outside major darkness
where the circle is complete
there's no fear that lovers born
will ever fail to meet
inspiration move me right
let sense and color guide me
where other feet have stumbled
lift me over lightly
raise the rag-ends of a voice
to make some kind of song
not to make it perfect
but more nearly right than wrong
recognition
raise the drinking horn again
let laughter fill the hall
the storyteller has returned
from other ports of call
he seems to be a younger man
than when he went away-
though you and i, my own true love,
have lived to show our day
still you seem a stranger
in the flesh of someone dear
while the storyteller speaks
i feel your darkness stir
i see the shadows on the wall
take color, depth and form
i see a lion's den await
three riders in a storm
i see you fall upon the ground
for space of half an hour
then i see you rise again
cloaked in earthly power
i see myself approach the den
to work your fateful will
Terrapin shines in the west
the anxious winds grow still
did i make the proper choice?
the storyteller winks
even though i hear his voice
i can't tell what he thinks
counting stars by candlelight
all are dim but one is bright
the spiral light of Venus
rising first and shinning best
from the northwest corner
of a brand-new crecent moon
while crickets and cicadas sing
a rare and different tune
Terrapin Station
-Robert Hunter