yesterday a child came out to wander caught a dragonfly inside a jar fearful when the skies were full of thunder and tearful at the falling of a star and the seasons they go round and round and the painted ponies go up and down we re captive on a carousel of time we can t return we can only look behind to where we came and go round and round and round on the circle game then the child moved ten times round the seasons skated over ten clear frozen streams words like when you re older must appease him and promises of someday make his dreams sixteen springs and sixteen summers gone now cartwheels turn to car wheels through the town they tell him take your time it won t be long now before you drag your feet to slow the circle down and the seasons they go round and round and the painted ponies go up and down we re captive on a carousel of time we can t return we can only look behind to where we came and go round and round and round on the circle game years spin by and now the boy is twenty his dreams have lost some grandeur coming true there ll be new dreams better dreams in plenty before the last revolving year is through and the seasons they go round and round and the painted ponies go up and down we re captive on a carousel of time time we can t return we can only look behind to where we came and go round and round and round on the circle game