works in progress...

The day before the 7th July

Fate – kismet – we met on the day before the 7th Julynot knowing what held firewhat would fall out or how the land would lieyou’ve got to take your gifts and chancesfollow your star, your heart, your cry…so I wrote new love across the pages of the skyon the day before the 7th Julyin the face of you I felt old love dieforgot loss and filled myself with sunas the half moon beckoned in the skyon the day before the 7th JulyI steered my ship straight into the storm’s eyeI could not breathe under the water of your gazeand I became lost again in a stranger placeon the day before the 7th Julynow looking back across this broken JulyI don’t regret one word, or move or lieI was simply fired with love for youon the day before the 7th July© Caroline Trettine 2007

Love starts with the blues

you've got the 'I believe in magic'slow heart break lonely clock-tickbeat yourself with a mirror and a lipsticklove-sick bluesyou've got the every moment awakeliving for love's sakeevery gasp you takea searing heart-ache love-sick blueslove starts with the bluesand love ends with the bluesyou've got the mind-game mobile phone-alone-shamewithout him everything's the boring samelove-sick bluesyou've got the nothing to losebut ease, peace, sleep's releasecount those leaping black sheepin night-time's endless creeplove-sick blueslove starts with the bluesand love ends with the bluesI've got the lost you foreverbroken, bust, cruelno more trust youlove-sick bluesI've got the I want you backlift me off this rackheal my heart-attackwalk love's winding trackyou are my luck, my lacklove-sick blueslove starts with the bluesand love ends with the blues © Caroline Trettine 2007

White pearls

I walk these streets with feet of claywhat lights my way?white pearlsthey were cast on stony ground I found a string in no-man's landI'm a man born in the sun replaced my gunwith white pearlsa worldly man who's got his ownwhite pearls pure as bonewhite pearls adorn my crown my throne is set with white pearls © Caroline Trettine 2007

4th July

leaving is a liea little deatha blind eye a firework leaping in the skyon your 4th of Julyam I a ghost in your sunriseam I a ghost if I don't dieif I won't say goodbye though love has left mehigh and dry?the 4th of Julya red trail in the sky "I'll love you always" and that's no lie© Caroline Trettine 2007

Longest day

Florencemiddle of June1981 we said we were bornthat midsummer's dayit was Januarywhen I fell for you out of the blue like a ray...and June when you came to me on the longest dayfull of summerand longingand Italy on the longest day now we're going on silverwill it be the longest linedrawn for the longest lovein the history of time?we were born todaywhen the sun married usand it still shines on youthrough the longest day© Caroline Trettine 2007

Brighton

living a blues songoh London what will give?there ain't no sunshine ain't it hard just to live?dreaming of a new towna new placeright on the seaoh Brighton the trace of a new song?keen lights, always on moving to keep onseethe horizon the lanes, pavilion, sunand the pier pointing to the seawhich dream-town-song will be our place?which spirit of peace?fine, dear, clever face?icecream castles in the airfan the cardsI don't careyou are my placemy soulmy song© Caroline Trettine 2007

Leave him

leave himyou know it's time to goleave him it's something you both knowbelieve him when he says you shouldn't staybelieve him no changeno way just walk away and you'll seehappiness is freelove himand you'll both be lostlove himat too high a costdeliver hima tree caught by the frostforgive himfor rust in the souljust walk away and you'll seehappiness is freeleave himyou know it's time to goleave him it's something you both know© Caroline Trettine 2007

Schuctern geliebte

Der weg fur uns ist starkDu und Ich wir sind ein alt gesangKom,Treffen wir uns heuteFur das erste malSchuchtern, geliebte, bruder und freundeDu kennst mich Wie ich immer binUnd Du mir ein ratsel bistLass uns einmal anruhrenDiese liebe ist einmaligUnd evigDiese liebeDiese Liebeist unser gesang© Caroline Trettine 2007

Shy strangers

it's been so longyou and me we're an old songlet's meet againfor the first timetwo shy strangersslowly making friends you'll see mehow I used to be and I'll see youthrough new eyeslet's touchfor the very first time this love is the first timeforeverfor all timethis lovethis loveis our song© Caroline Trettine 2007

The man who knew too much

the man who knew too muchis a man I know is someone I used to bebefore I let go he has to catch what he seesand put it in a cagehold it in captivityso his heart is a cage of meanings all deep-feltif he could touch the barsthey would melthe could be a sagethe sun shining through grey barsdisappearing into blueif he could see into the heart of mysteryand not see throughthen he would knowhow to be© Caroline Trettine 2007

Falling in love again

wear ear plugs and dark glasses deaf, blind to the sweet breeze that passes attend serious evening classesstudy satire and 19th century French farcesfalling in love againpounce on your mind when it plays tricks cut meandering day dreams down to the quick nurse yourself gently as if you're sick don't believe in love's subtle magic falling in love againtake a look at yourself in the mirror see your ways and see the errorlook into the abyss and quake at the terror and loneliness of the heart-broken loverfalling in love againbuild an English walled gardencall it Sissinghurst or Eden but don't touch the blossom or the flowersdon't sing under soft april showersfalling in love againabove all don't listen to Marlene's song don't go there what a carry on film? fun and games then all gonego back to your heart's home where you belongfalling in love again © Caroline Trettine 2007

When I look into your eyes

when I look into your eyes I see paradise infinityfoam-topped wavesblue skies when I look into your eyes I look into my soul tunnels in the sand an ice-clear rock pool scales fall awayand the gulls cry when I look into your eyeswhen I look into your eyesI see the sea set with stars sparkling in the night I don't know who you arewhen I look into your eyes I see a shaft of light piercing the waterand I know who you are scales fall awayand the gulls cry when I look into your eyes © Caroline Trettine 2007

Sweet bird of youth

I am a hawk circling the air she is in my sights but I feel no guilt or fear I am a wise bird I move in elevated spheres along the corridors of power in a league above my peers I am a man of means and consequence genes are my strongest suitand I am fireproof in my pursuitof the sweet bird of youth sweet bird of youth you are truth and innocenceI rest my case for the defence in my considered view I'm completely in the clear using urbanity and charm to draw her beauty near think of me as Christian on the 'Bounty' planning a round trip to paradise in a young woman's eyes as the poem goes only half-forgotten what seas what shores what grey rocksthe rigging weak and the canvas rotten Marina my daughter sweet bird of youth you are truth and innocence I rest my case for the defence there I have her caught in my armsher heart beats so softly I'll do her no harm I'll not break her wings I'll teach her to fly launch her high careering into the wild night sky sweet bird of youth you are truth and innocence I rest my case for the defence in your eyes but then you're so intenseI'm just an old man ruthlessly pursuing his needs at a young woman's expenseI feel young again fresh blood courses through my veins © Caroline Trettine 2007

 

Old friends

This was meant to be 'old friends' by paul simon but lately we've become shy and distant is this the way a world ends? why does love stop our tongues? how can love make things wrong? old wounds old wounds here is my hand take it in this song and don't let go because we are on our own see the horizonon and on you're my life-long friendmy true companion why does love stop our tongues? how can love make things wrong? old wounds old wounds so let's move into the sun in the sun is where we belong old friendsbookends you're my life-long friendmy true companion why does love stop our tongues? how can love make things wrong? old wounds old wounds © Caroline Trettine 2007

 

The one and only girl

You're the poor little rich girl the belle of the ball girl the life and the soul girl but still the world is cruel you're the heroine of every novel girl the princess in the fairy tale girl the noble, witty, clever, generous girl but still the world is cruel you carry so much before you everyone admires and adores you noone comes close to touching youwhy don't your dreams come true? you're the noone is your equal girl you're the in the league of your own girl you're the one and only lonely girl where do you go to my lovely? © Caroline Trettine 2007

 

Dog watching hour

Sunday, 4pm the time when the black dog decends from a great height it's the dog watching hour when you watch the darkening world through the lense of the observer and fail to see any clarity it's the dog watching hour and you've turned into a cat and the noises of people and animals outside are frightening it's the dog watching hour and the world is on fire smoke billowing up from fallen buildings and men crying in the street it's the dog watching hour and the west is at war with the east and it's Sunday afternoon in London and time is out of joint it's the dog watching hour and the dogs of war are massing on both sides of the border on the other side of the world it's the dog watching hour and people are taking their dogs into dark places they barely know or understand it's the dog watching hour and you've got to keep fear on a tight reign as the planes fly over and the dogs are set loose again Sunday. September.2001. © Caroline Trettine 2007

 

Hope

hope takes me up when I'm down she gives me wings so by her side I ride the currents of my life if I fall prey to her ascent to the perpetual movement of her dreams I sometimes lose my sense but not my innocence I know what I would do if my dreams come true I know what I would do if my dreams come true hope is gentle and heaven-sent she makes me proud of my achievements sometimes she consumes me but I am content when I'm with her I'm in my element I know what I would do if my dreams come true I know what I would do if my dreams come true © Caroline Trettine 2007

 

Western stars

stars in the west by the 'Bristol Bridge Inn' that's where I met John and Ann stars in the west they took a shine to me and under their wing I believed everything and my eyes lit up there were stars in my eyes my head in the clouds praised to the skies stars in the west we looked down on our home town we saw our names in lights when we went out at nights stars in the west we burned hard and bright in all the backstreet bars at dead of night in all the backstreet bars with our guitars we reached for the stars stars in the west I couldn't count on them I knew I'd be lost if they were crossed stars in the west they might hide my light and I'd fall from grace like a meteorite and so it came to pass I fell out with all those shooting stars every single one every son of a gun stars in the west have fallen out © Caroline Trettine 2007

 

Runaways

Anna was a runaway she loved to keep love at bay there was no still place she could stay her flashing smile said 'keep away' Julie was a waif and stray streetwise, knew the game to play losing time, she seized the day a rare, high speed runaway runaways, runaways, they run your love away runaways, runaways, they run your love away so they met up one cool day their eyes met close and faraway they didn't know what to do or say they both ran out the same way ran into the fields of wheat and hay ran into the roads and the roaring highways ran into the sands slipping away ran into love waiting by the way runaways, runaways, they run your love away runaways, runaways, they run your love away winds blowing through their hideaway they came to a place they could stay where the sun's rays lit the grey they ran out of running away © Caroline Trettine 2007

 

Caroline's video of 'the name of life' is available now on CD. Do email us if you'd like a copy.

You can hear samples of 'leaving','beside you', 'in your arms', 'love across time'. More information ia available on Evensong's pages on Caroline.

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