Three Times Three and A~Roll Me~O

TURN TURN TURN TO THE RAIN AND SNOW
BUT THE BOUGH WON'T BREAK AND THE WIND WON'T BLOW
IF YOU ASK ME ON A FINE DAY, I'LL TELL YOU NINE WAYS
THREE TIMES THREE AND A~ROLL ME~O

I went up to the blustery clifftop
I surveyed the land
I breathed the very breath of life up there
Looked down far below to the rocks and sand
I felt the sea air filling up my lungs and blood
And I remembered things I only remember here
The sky was cloudy
There was wind in my hair

The sun came out and the sea turned to dancing crystals
Or bright stars burning on the water
Then from behind a tump stepped a child of Iluvatar
She stood there radiantly
Her shawl flickered a thousand star eyes
Of morning fire come plainly
And I wondered
Who was this beautiful Lady

She took a small blue flower and placed it to her lips
She puffed out her cheeks and blew upon it like a trumpet
As she did this she looked me into the eyes with both joy and sorrow
My heart was leaping, my body trembling like there was no tomorrow
The flower was echoing, swirling me with a story told so quick
That when I awoke I could hardly remember any of it
She had gone
I was forlorn

CHORUS

I wandered through the gardens
I heard the Elven echo again
In the Botanical Greenhouse
I asked several species her name
I walked past the Bandstand
Had she danced on that stage
I felt a twinge of sadness
And looked the other way

I went down past the museum and the church to the shops
People were about doing their business but for me time had just stopped
Passing the Post Office I saw people walking by reflected in the windows
A chilly wind blew up from the sea and it challenged my soul
So I walked down the street as it began to gently rain
I went into a gallery in a tiny lane
I felt OK
The pictures were colourful

I went over to the Curator who was standing by a clock
And he told me of the golden hill where dwells the Golden Ox
He who drinks at the well of infinite causational changes
Where from the heart's prayer arc it ranges
That Ox is tended by several men both honorable and skilled
Who make the harps that resound in these faerie hills
What could I say
I was startled to wonder

CHORUS

So I took off for that Golden Hill
I had nothing, no one, just my own good will
Then Mother Mary lit a candle and illuminated me my way
And her light revealed the land as a bright patchwork tapestry
Then I turned around once more and once more I heard no sound
Darkness had enshrouded me
Nothing found
No one around

In the dark I could faintly hear voices
And I also heard many strange rustling noises
Yet there was one voice pure and clear among the others
Which was not always by the other voices smothered
Lost as I was this was my guiding star
The pure smooth voice had a persuasive sound
I had no chance
I became unwound

Now I hardly have to say
It was by love I was held sway
It was by love I now will tell
That I stumbled upon that Golden Well
There was nothing else in that black hole
But then I perceived a sparkling
My body was dissolving
I had gone in between

CHORUS

Then with faces of folk I knew and all with their due cordialities at that
Passed by, the Mad Hatter, March Hare, Mole, Ratty, Toad and the Cheshire Cat
I swooped with Archimedes flying all upon the nocturnal breeze
So was Owl, Ant and Minnow and Boy and Merlin was pleased
And through these transformations I knew that I had no name
Or had lost it or it had got washed out in the rain
I looked all around
But was in blackness again

Afloat upon the mistral wind the nowhere boy he flew
Upon his raft of playfulness which he thought might just see him though
The further off from Eng~er~land the nearer is to France
He looked into his mazing mind and there he caught a glance
Of a Golden Loom on a Golden Hill with Silver Trees and Elven Jewels
Her hands were weaving all upon that Golden Loom
Her eyes
Were shining in the gloom

The Golden Ox lapped the waters of the well nearby
But the ripples were washing me away on the tide
I breathed the air deeply and felt kind of free
And in no time at all was back in my body
I was sitting on a park bench
I wasn't far from the town
But my heart was lifted
And so it goes around.

CHORUS