I remember evenings when my dad would singnHiding in the hallways, I am listeningnKeeping still my body until it’s borne aloftnHer hair is soft her breath is soft and her name is softnAnd gather me completely in her sighing handsnMy dove my dove my lambnnBorn with ocean thunder underneath our veinsnLonelier than cows left standing in the rainnHoly when our weight into the waves is tossednThough ships get lost and fish get lost and names get lostnShe will wait to greet me where it meets dry landnMy dove my dove my lambnnSo. Careful of that language some words are stonesnThey’ll lead you out from town and leave you all alonenPast the mirrored diamond mares that run all nightnWhere camptown ladies sing that song ‘aw come aw wry’nBut lo they sing it sweetly so I’ll understandnMy dove my dove my lambnnThough my sight be near and my way be longnThough the light I chase be disappeared by dawnnI have seen her standing on the roofs at nightnI have seen her silver figure bathed and brightnAnd I have seen her sleeping in the cold white sandnMy dove my dove my lambnnSo even in these cities where she’s haunting menEven when my weariness is wanting menEven when my wickednesses want to breathenEven in these dirty clubs counting 1-2-3nI will keep a singing til I no more cannMy dove my dove my lambnnAnd later if I’m better I’ll be born againnI’ll pull my newborn body from the thorns and limbsnFinding with my fingers where they’ve torn the pagenFrom some ancient book all gold and worn from agenAnd writ upon it neatly though in trembling handnMy dove my dove my lambnnThen later in the evening I hear trumpets ringnI stretch out in the dark and I am listeningnStudying the sadness in your perfect limbsnMove them under mine until they learn to blendnAnd I will keep repeating til they understandnMy dove my dove my lambn