an autumn lament

   

Urge For Going

by Joni Mitchell

I awoke today and found
the frost perched on the town.
It hovered in a frozen sky
then it gobbled summer down.
When the sun turns traitor cold
and all the trees are shivering in a naked row

I get the urge for going,
But I never seem to go.
I get the urge for going
When the meadow grass is turning brown,
Summertime is falling down, and winter's closing in.

...

Now the warriors of winter
They give a cold triumphant shout.
And all that stays is dying
And all that lives is gettin' out.
See the geese in chevron flight
Flapping and racing on before the snow.

They got the urge for going
And they got the wings so they can go.
They get the urge for going
When the meadow grass is turning brown
Summertime is falling down, and winter's closing in.

I'll ply the fire with kindling now,

I'll pull the blankets up to my chin.
I'll lock the vagrant winter out and
I'll bolt my wanderings in
I'd like to call back summertime
Have her stay for just another month or so...

But she's got the urge for going
So I guess she'll have to go.
She gets the urge for going
When the meadow grass is turning brown.
All her empire's falling down,

And winter's closing in.