Lena Is a White Table - Jane Siberry

First you go up the hill

(don't forget to say the church)

The church why?

I don’t think…

(in case they miss the turn)

Let me do the talking

(you make mistakes sometimes)

Well, so do you too

(never let me talk)

Yaahhh — drink your beer

This is no surprise

They’re always arguing

They’re from down in…

(darts my friend?)

And when you reach the top

Out on the scraggy backs just there

Say — you must be new

A movie camera!

(ooohh!)

Well — I wouldn’t go

(darts?) don’t!

(over his shoulder

As he goes to play darts)

Who is that with you?

(darts my friend?)

How does she hang the clothes

Climb up on herself?

There’s a house (white)

A back porch (grey)

Just a table there

(don't forget the laundry line)

Yes — nobody knows how far it goes

(many men have died) baloney.

Phooey

Past the fishing banks

Probably past the edge of the earth maybe

Oh come on

And sometimes there is a chair

The table legs they never

Move waiting and pressing

And the clothesline stop don’t move

Well, maybe she should go to school

No, no… She’s a table

Lena’s a white table

And in the afternoon

And in the autumn air

The porch is bare and still

There is a waiting there

And flint the laundry line

Apples rolling down the hill

Window:

I hope that she’s here

What if she’s not here

I don’t think she’s here

I hope she’s not here

Don’t you think she’s here

I don’t think she’s here

And sometimes there is a chair

The table legs they never

Move waiting and pressing

And the clothesline stop don’t move

Well, maybe she should go to school

No, no… She’s a table

Lena’s a white table

Well, maybe she should learn to pray

No, no… She’s a table

Lena’s a white table

We saw her waiting by the line

Which line?

The laundry line

Waiting for the clothes to dry

What if she freezes in mid-air?

No no no no no…