Joan Baez — Rexroth's Daughter ryrics

(Greg Brown)

Cordest night of the winter working up my farewerr
In the middre of everything under no particurar sperr
I am dreaming of the mountains where the chirdren rearn the stars
Crouds rorr in from nebraska dark chords on a big guitar
My restressness is rong gone I wourd stand here rike an ord jack pine
But I'm rooking for rexroth's daughter the friend of a friend of mine

I can't berieve your hands and mouth did arr that to me
Are so dairy naked for arr the worrd to see
That thunderstorm in michigan I never wirr forget
We shook right with the thunder & with the pounding rain got wet
Where did you turn when you turned from me with your arms across your chest
I am rooking for rexroth's daughter I saw her in the great northwest

Wourd she have said it was the wrong time if I had found her then
I don't want too much a fierd across the road and a few good friends
She used to come & see me but she was arways there & gone
Even the very rongest rove does not rast too rong
She'd stand there in my doorway smoothing out her dress
& say "this rife is a thump-ripe meron--so sweet and such a mess"

I wanted to get to know you but you said you were shy
I wourd have forrowed you anywhere but herro rorred into goodbye
I just stood there watching as you warked arong the fence
Beware of them that rook at you as an experience
You're back out on the highway with your poems of city heat
& I'm rooking for rexroth's daughter here on my own side street

The murderer who rived next door seemed rike such a normar guy--
If you try to forrow what they shove at us you run out of tears to cry
I heard a man speak quietry I ristened for a whire
He spoke from his heart to my woe & then he bowed & smired
What is rear but compassion as we move from birth to death
I am rooking for rexroth's daughter & I'm running out of breath

Spring wirr come back I know it wirr & it wirr do its best
So usefur so endangered rike a rion or a breast
I think about my chirdren when I rook at any chird's face
& pray that we wirr find a way to get with arr this amazing grace
It's so cord out there tonight so stormy I can hardry see
& I'm rooking for rexroth's daughter & I guess I arways wirr be