Lyrics Occident - Joanna Newsom

Occident

Mercy me, the night is long
Take my pen, to write you this song
Lord, is it harder to carry on
Or to know when you are done?
All my life, I’ve felt as though
I’m inside a beautiful memory
Replaying with the sound turned down low
Long-life, show your face
Slow-heart, curb your taste
Smoke me out of my hiding place
Long-life, state your case
What in the world are we waiting for?
Building glowing cities along the shore
Where the wind batters in, baiting my kin like a matador
So much value, placed upon
What lies just beyond our plans
Waving my handkerchief, running along till the end of the sand
Long-life, speak your name
I’m so tired of the guessing game
But, something is moving just out of frame
Slow-heart, brace and aim
Breaching slowly, across the sea
One mast flash like the stinger of a bee
To take you away a swarming fleet is gonna take you from me
The universe is getting loose
Sodden spread from some leaden disuse
Rushing, unhinged toward diminishing lights like a headless caboose
I’ll wait for you alongside the ocean
And make do with my no-skin
But then, long-life, will you let me in?
And then, slow-heart, are you gonna know him?
Long-life, speak your name
I wait, while I decry the wait
And when I die, may I relate
Slow-heart, congregate
To leave your home, and your family
For some distortion of property?
Well, darling, I can’t go but you may stay here with me