Joni Mitchell - Cactus Tree

 

 

There's a man who's been out sailing

in a decade full of dreams

And he takes her to a schooner

and he treats her like a queen

Bearing beads from California

with their amber stones and green.

He has called her from the harbour

he has kissed her with his freedom

he has heard her off to starboard

in the breaking and the breathing of the water weeds.

 

While she was busy being free.

 

There's a man who's climbed a mountain

and he's calling out her name

and he hopes her heart can hear

3,000 miles he calls again

he can think her there beside him

he can miss her just the same.

He has missed her in the forest

while he showed her all the flowers

and the branches sang the chorus,

as he climbed the scaly towers of a forest tree.

 

While she was somewhere being free.

 

There's a man who sent a letter

and he's waiting for her reply.

He has asked her of her travels

since the day they said goodbye.

He writes, "Wish you were beside me,

we could make it if we try."

He has seen her at the office,

with her name on all his papers,

through the sharing of the profits,

he will find it hard to shake her from these memories.

 

And she's so busy being free.

 

There's a lady, in the city,

and she thinks she loves them all.

There's the one who's thinking of her,

There's the one who sometimes calls.

There's the one who writes her letters,

with his facts and figures scrawl.

She has brought them to her senses,

they have laughed inside her laughter.

Now she rallies her defences,

for she fears that one will ask her for eternity.

 

And she's so busy being free.

 

There's a man who sends her medals,

he is bleeding from the war.

There's a jouster and a jester

and a man who owns a store.

There's a drummer, and a dreamer,

and you know there may be more.

She will love them when she sees them,

they will lose her if they follow.

And she only means to please them,

and her heart is full and hollow like a cactus tree.

 

Like a cactus tree being free.

      "Cactus Tree" é uma canção que nos ensina que a necessidade de amar não se deve sobrepor à necessidade de ser livre. A questão é complexa porque cada uma destas realidades humanas pode anular a outra. É preciso respeito por quem se ama e é preciso responsabilidade para se ser livre.