When I was a girl I had a favorite story
Of the meadowlark who lived where the rivers wind.
Her voice could match the angels in its glory
But she was blind.
The lark was blind.
So the king of the rivers took her to his palace
Where the walls were burnished bronze and golden ray'd.
And he brought her fruits and nuts from an ivory chalice
And he prayed.
Sing for me, my meadowlark
Sing for me on a silver morning.
Set me free, O meadowlark
And I'll buy you a priceless jewel
And cloth of brocade and crewel
And I'll love you for life if you will
Sing for me.
Then one day as the lark sang by the water
The god of the sun heard her in his flight,
And her singing moved her so he came and brought her
The gift of sight, he gave her sight.
And she opened her eyes to the shimmer and the splendor
Of this beautiful young god so proud and strong.
And he called to the lark in a voice both rough and tender
Come along, O won't you come!
Fly with me, O meadowlark
Fly with me, on a silver morning
Past the sea, where the dolphins bark
And we'll dance to the coral beaches
Make a feast of the plums and peaches
Just as far as your vision reaches
Fly with me.
But the meadowlark declined,
For her king had been so kind.
She couldn't bear to wound his pride.
So the sun god flew away,
And when the king came down that day
He found his meadowlark had died.
Ev'ry time I heard that part, I cried.
So now I stand here starry-eyed and stormy
O just when I thought my heart was finally numb
A beautiful young man appears before me
Saying come, O won't you come.
And what can I do if finally for the first time
The one I'm burning for returns the glow.
If love has come at last it's picked the worst time.
Still I know, I've got to go.
Fly away O meadowlark
Fly away on a silver morning
If I stay I'll grow to curse the dark,
So it's off where the days won't find me
I know I leave wounds behind me
But I won't let tomorrow find me
Back this way.
Before my past once again can blind me
Fly away.
And we won't wait to say goodbye
My beautiful young man and I.