Love child accident born to children themselves

She nearly died on the table giving

birth to her first back in ’63

That was my sister Irene

Moved into the trailer park in Ithaca, New York

Took another job while he was going to school

Another mouth to feed

Well, that was me

Oh round and round and round we go

The seasons melt away like snow

Oh round and round and round we go

The years they pass away and life goes on

Couldn’t stop trying too damned hard

Being everything to everybody

But he couldn’t hold up his heart

And it broke him down

So he left that town

Moved again to the cold blue North, little town on the sea

Innocent dreams of hope that they’d grow to be

A little better than what he had

Oh round and round and round we go

The seasons melt away like snow

Oh round and round and round we go

The years they pass away and life goes on

Father, eagle-scout, mentor, boy

Silence the table with that bear in your voice

My frozen fear, my swallowed tears

Always coming down the hardest

on the ones that you love best

All my life I’ve looked to your eyes

I’m looking back on the younger me trying so hard

A fragile bird in the golden girl seeking love

Her father’s child, walking in his stride

And I’m looking now at the older man you’ve turned out to be

The hardness has softened to empathy

We’ve made amends, we’re better friends

Oh round and round and round we go

The seasons melt away like snow

Oh round and round and round we go

The years they pass away and life goes on