Tangled up Puppet - Harry Chapin

There was a time that you curled up

In my lap like a child

You’d cling to me smilin'

Your eyes wide and wild

Now you slip through my arms

Wave a passing hello

Twist away and toss a kiss

Laughin' as you go

You used to say «Read me a story.»

And, «Sing me songs of love.»

For you were Princess Paradise

On the wings of a dove

Now I chase you and I tease you

Tryin' to remake you my own

You just turn away and say

«Please leave me alone.»

And I’m a tangled up puppet

All hangin' in your strings

I’m a butterfly in a spider’s web

Fluttering my wings

And the more that I keep dancin'

And spinning 'round in knots

The more I see what used to be

And the less of you I’ve got

You are a drawer full of make-up

And rinses and things

You keep changing your moods

Like your earrings and rings

But tonight while we played tag

For five minutes in the yard

Just for a moment I caught you off-guard

And I’m a tangled up puppet

All hangin' in your strings

I’m a butterfly in a spider’s web

Fluttering my wings

And the more that I keep dancing

And spinning 'round in knots

The more I see what used to be

And the less of you I’ve got

Now you write your secret poems

In a room just for your dreams

You don’t find time to talk to me

About the things you mean

And what I mean is--

I have watched you take shape

From a jumble of parts

And find the grace and form

Of a fine work of art

Hey, you, my brand new woman

Newly come into your own

Don’t you know

That you don’t need

To grow up all alone