Monday, September 6, 2010

"The Boy with the Moon and Star on His Head"






A gardener's daughter stopped me on my way, 
on the day I was to wed.
"It is you who I wish to share my body with", she said. 

"We'll find a dry place under the sky with a flower for a bed.
And for my joy, I will give you a boy with a moon and
star on his head."


Her silver hair flowed in the air, laying waves across the sun.
Her hands were like the white sands, 
and her eyes had diamonds on.


We left the road and headed up to the top of the
Whisper Wood. And we walked 'till we came to where 
the holy magnolia stood. 

And there we laid cool in the shade singing songs and
making love, with the naked earth beneath us 
and the universe above. 

The time was late, my wedding wouldn't wait; 
I was sad, but I had to go. So while she was asleep, 
I kissed her cheek for cheerio.


The wedding took place and people came from many
miles around. There was plenty merriment, 
cider and wine did abound. 

But out of all that I recall, I remembered the girl I met.
'Cause she had given me something 
that my heart could not forget.


A year had passed and everything was 
just as it was a year before ... 
As if it were a year before ... 

Until the gift that someone left, a basket by my door.
And in there lay the fairest little baby 
crying to be fed;


I got down on my knees and kissed 
the moon and star on
his head.


As years went by the boy grew high and the village looked
on in awe. They'd never seen anything like the boy 
with the moon and star before.


And people would ride from far and wide just to seek the
word he spread. "I'll tell you everything I've learned,"
and "Love is all"... he said.

By Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam



This song is an old favorite of mine. This isn't the way it's shown on lyric sheets, but to me it reads like a poem. The only thing I'm not sure of is whether the last line might be better this way: and "Love" is all ... he said.

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