by and by

i know you by the field that's by your house,
by your car, by your smile.
and you know me by the marks on my skin,
by the words behind my eyes.
time's only time when you're counting the minutes,
and i'm counting all the time,
and leaves fall and dreams fall and all we can do
is hope time is on our side.

i may hear this when your lips part,
or i may belong to them.
i tell you, you could have bought and sold me
when you'd hold me,
by and by.

i met you by the field that's by your house,
you'd been crying, so had i.
you gave me papers to burn, said to turn them
to angels in the fire
that you set by the fields, by the pain in my
heart and i wept there, like a child,
lying and dying, still breathing and grieving,
where angels grow long and wild.

and then rain fell down like dreaming,
and i dreamt then, soft and sweet,
waking, wishing angels didn't fly away,
please don't fly away,
oh, enfold me,
please still hold me,
by and by