Summer's Gate

There's a sign on the pole
By the gate
Where the wind turns the winter
Into summer
But the grass still is brown
And the gardener is late
As we come here

And the letters were carved
With a knife
Though we tried they could hardly
Be read
So I looked for a trace
Of the gardener's wife
And his shed

And later in the dark
We built a pyre
And a dove from the park
Flew into the fire
And the white, flaming arc
Rose higher

In my dream the scene
Seemed so real
A one-legged girl
Tried to run free
She was chasing the sun
When a snake bit her heel
'Neath the dead tree

And later in the dark
We built a pyre
And a dove from the park
Flew into the fire
And the white, flaming arc
Rose higher

And we stared 'cross the gate
To the shed
And some of the children
Were weeping
And no one could tell
If the gardener was dead
Or just sleeping

People
Lie in their bed
Thinking of sheep
Banging the head
Sheep
Counting the dead
Can't get to sleep
Out on the field
Breaking the seal

People
Lie in their bed
Thinking of sheep
Banging the head
Sheep
Counting the dead
Can't get to sleep
Out on the field
Breaking the seal