Wintery Stockholm

During the 1960s, Stockholm could get really cold in the winter (and still can, I imagine). The thing is that in 1966 my little apartment did not have central heating. Granted the walls were half a meter thick, and it had a little kerosene heater that could—at least at times (though not when winter turned really serious).

And to make matters more interesting (and freezing), the place did not even have alternating current, only direct current, while they had stopped making direct current heaters. The place, in other words, was a relic (but it was my relic).

One April morning many years later, I was sitting in my little home studio in Los Angeles (about 80 degrees outside) looking back at those frozen Stockholm days, at why I had to get out of there to see the world, at what I thought about all these frozen people around me (and about myself), at what I was doing here (on this planet) anyway, and this song is what happened next.

Wintery Stockholm During the 1960s, Stockholm could get really cold in the winter (and still can, I imagine). The thing is that in 1966 my little apartment did not have central heating. Granted the walls were half a meter thick, and it had a little kerosene heater that could-at least at times (though not when winter turned really serious).

The Words:

A winter's dawn
in her snowy gray
and her misty gloom

Her sky is drawn
as she makes her way
for my heatless room

Dreams still cling
to my sleepy eyes
in a warm embrace

While senses bring
as they slowly rise
what I have to face
in this frozen place
forever and a day

come what may
I linger in dream
and sorrow

though I pray
there will come a day
fleet and strong
to take this boy along

Down an icy hill
catch a crowded bus
where you have to stand

Musing still
what is wrong with us
in this northern land

Days rush by
in a whirl of sleep
at a mortal cost

Seasons sigh
in their forest keep
fearing all is lost
to this land of frost
forever and a day

come what may
we linger in dream
and sorrow

while I pray
there will come a day
fleet and strong
to take this boy along

Out over the shore
of illusory lore
it will carry me higher
than ever before

And breaking the chains
of whatever remains
I would fly

Over a sea
that's been harboring me
with its logical gravity
intimately

Reaching a place
of such beauty and grace
I would sigh

My senses cannot follow here
I am whatever may appear
for I am soul and I am wish
that I could stay
forever and a day

That I could stay
forever and a day
come what may
high above dream
and sorrow

and I pray
there will come a day
fleet and strong
to take this boy along

so I pray
there will come a day
fleet and strong
to take this boy along

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