the Leshy
Leshy
Once upon a time and tide
When many trees grew tall and wide
And everybody lived outside
When we were newly springtime born
And sunny days were snuggly warm
when people walked with happy face
and giggle mouth among the ferns
and shrubs and lavender
and hollyhock and honeysuckle
and giggle tree and ankle chuckle
When all the light was dappled
and bellies were pie-appled
and hunny tree was for honey-bee
and daisies gently stroked our knees
and buttercups were twelve foot three
and mushyrooms turned upside down
made lovely boats for sailing round
the lake upon a summer’s day
oh once upon a time and tide
when many trees grew tall and wide
and everybody lived outside
In wintertime the Leshy died
or so it seemed to those indoors
who’d forgotten how to walk
because come the spring
the woods shall ring
with the laughter of the Leshy
they never die just return anew
to make the forest sing
spring-time brought them back again
scattering sunshine in the rain
running barefoot with no pain
and where they walked the blossom came
and where they sat the sun returned
and when they sang the trees woke up
and where they played the creatures sniffed
and when they slept the forest stretched
Oh once upon a time and tide
oh once upon a time and tide
Leshy looked like me and you
except of course their skin was blue
and their hair was of a greenish hue
which hung in matted locks it grew
The Leshy walked on earthly mother
Guided by their heavenly father
Drawn along by sister moon
And the secret of the stars
And once upon a time and tide
when many trees grew tall and wide
When everyone lived outside
then everyone was Leshy
Oh once upon a time and tide
oh once upon a time and tide
The wandering children of sunshine
are born again every springtime
to live in a summer of lifetimes
that means always following the sun
And always moving in circles
means never looking back
always moving forwards
means never knowing lack
and never knowing famine
means never knowing thirst
and never knowing labour
means never knowing worse
and always moving forward
walking round the wheel
the steady fall of footsteps
the mighty medicine wheel
Oh once upon a time and tide
oh once upon a time and tide
Now migration paths have all but gone
to people who decide what’s wrong
who make the laws for standing still
and legislate which slaves may kill
Now everywhere’s a prison
coz it has a door
and the closest place to heaven
is laying on the floor
outside of doors
inside the world
inside your head
the softest bed
where you can lie
And learn to fly
and float and fall
and remember it all
and remember it all
oh once upon a time and tide
oh once upon a time and tide
when many trees grew tall and wide
and everybody lived outside
and buttercups were twelve foot three
and we were children you and me
and all were children you must agree
that there never was any poverty
until lazybones invented property
plus building houses and staying put
and chopping trees and hoarding loot
till there’s nothing left
that looks like wood
there’s no outside
it’s inside out
and upside down
and back to front
So there’s nothing better left to do
than swap your shoes and take your cue
then turn your clothing inside out
and show your labels as you shout
for more and more of more and more
and more and more of less and less
means less and less for evermore
and no more trees means no more bees
and no more bees means no more seed
and no more seed means no more home
and no more home means you and me
have got to see
If you want to live with trees
Then a nomad you must be
Yes a nomad you must be
if you want to live with trees
and if you want to see the trees
grow tall and strong and wide
you’ll have to learn to live outside
And once upon a time and tide
when many trees grew tall and wide
your giggle face you’d never hide
your chuckle tum will ever show
so everyone shall ever know
that inside out is where you are
and life outside is best by far
and happy on the outside
means happy on the inside
Oh once upon a time and tide
oh once upon a time and tide
