Crying Tree

Up with the dawn, first out the door
He doesn't sleep well at all anymore
Lying all night with his eyes wide open
Trying to see what the day's holding
Bang on a barking, my little gurnze
Clouds are milk-white, the floor's brown dirty
Up the back way to a line
This doesn't get any easier

He used to dance 'till the sun came up
There is a field where he used to love her
Flowers in rows and he grew three daughters
Here is a bail of the finest clover
Raises up to wipe his brow
Forty years thrown across his shoulder
All of his life in a single moment
Maybe his hardest, too weak to hold him

He did not know that his dance was done
So many reasons to carry on
Mama left the girls that night
And walked up the hill in the moonlight
Come, come tears are free
Love is over underneath the crying tree

All that I said made him feel blue
All that I did and all I will do
Here is a hand make a deal with God
Here is a tear silent
This room is too damn full
Hand of laughness tries to hold
Up the hill under the tree fell the trees this summer

I did not know that our dance was done
So many reasons to carry on
Mama left the girls that night
And walked up the hill in the moonlight
Come, come tears are free
Love is over underneath the crying tree

The old grey farmhouse is up there still
Just over the hill

You never know when your dance is done
So many reasons to carry on
Mama left the girls that night
And walked up the hill in the moonlight
Come, come tears are free
Love is over underneath the crying tree