Tower and the Wheel

The oak tower stands alone

With gnarled arms from broken bones

Patched with scars she’s tucked beneath her bough

The air smells like metal

The leaves become unsettled

But their backs’ against the coming of the storm

Other trees relax their limbs

Bend and weave up besting glims

As they stretch and limber up to not be torn

Pull close to what you know

Oh, then let it go

Only in the end

When the winds are calm again

Will they see those roots have held

And who they’ll mourn

Dark fingers from the east

Stretch out in swift and swirling reach

Until they catch and choke the light out of the sun

And fold into a fist

Beat the mercy from the hills

With the thunder of wild ponies on the run

From dusk a mighty claim

On the shoulders of a clave

The river takes the rain

Holds on to while she can

But she fears she may drown

Before it’s done

Oh, oh the tower burns

Oh, oh fortune turns

The oak tower stands alone

With gnarled arms from broken bones

Patched with scars she’s tucked beneath her bough

She’s seen houses built and barns fall down

Children playing all around

Whose families lived and died in her front row

Winter smlls, summer nights

Burning fires, electric lights

Machines that turn to rust and fall apart

She’s held a thousand horses tied

She’s shelteres brides and grooms who’ve died

She’s watched as weathers evolved beneath the stars

Rises in the fire

There’s a beauty to it all

Her roots are thick beneath the earth

She shakes her fist as rain gets worse

It's just a little wind and rain and dark