The Dreaming Tree

Standing here;
The old man said to me,
"Long before these crowded streets
Here stood my dreaming tree."
Below it he would sit,
For hours at a time,
Now progress takes away,
What forever took to find,
And now he's falling hard,
He feels the falling dark,
How he longs to be,
Beneath his dreaming tree.
Conquered fear to climb,
A moment froze in time,
When the girl who first he kissed,
Promised him she'd be his.
Remembered mother's words,
There beneath the tree,
"No matter what the world-
You'll always be my baby."
"Mommy come quick,
The dreaming tree has died."
The air is growing thick,
A fear he cannot hide,
The dreaming tree has died.


Oh, have you no pity?
This thing I do;
I do not deny it,
All through this smile,
As crooked as danger,
I do not deny.
I know in my mind-
I would leave you now;
If I had the strength to,
I would leave you up;
To your own devices.
Will you not talk?
Can you take pity?
I don't ask much-
But won't you speak, please?


From the start,
She knew she had it made,
Easy up 'til then,
For sure she'd make the grade.
Adorers came in hordes,
To lay down in her wake,
Gave it all she had,
But treasures slowly fade.
Now she's falling hard,
Feels the fall of dark,
How did this fall apart?
She drinks to fill it up.
A smile of sweetest flowers,
Wilted so and soured,
Black tears stain the cheeks,
That once were so admired.
She thinks when she was small,
There on her father's knee,
How he had promised her,
"You'll always be my baby."
"Daddy come quick,
The dreaming tree has died;
I can't find my way home,
There is no place to hide;
The dreaming tree has died."


Oh, if I had the strength to,
I would leave you up;
To your own devices.
Will you not talk?
Can you take pity?
I don't ask much-
But won't you speak, please?


Take me back, take me back, take me back...


Save me please!
 

-Dave Matthews & Stefan Lessard