Barcarolle
Kathleen Brennan/Tom Waits Lyrics

A cloud lets go of the moon
The moon slips out of view as the clouds hide it

Her ribbons are all out of tune
The moon's light is distorted by the clouds, like ribbons that are out of tune

She is skating on the ice
The moon's light is reflected on an icy surface

In a glass in the hands of a man
The moon's image reflected in a glass held by a man, who is likely admiring its beauty

That she kissed on the train
The woman and the man holding the glass may have been on a train where they shared a kiss

And the children are all gone into town
The children have left to go to town, leaving the adults alone in the house

To get candy and we are alone in the house here
The children have gone to get candy, leaving the adults alone in the house

And your eyes fall down on me
The man's eyes look at the woman, and perhaps they share a moment of intimacy

And I belong only to you
The woman feels a deep connection with the man, as if they belong only to each other

The water is filling my shoes
The woman feels overwhelmed and emotional, like the water that fills her shoes

In the wine of my heart there's a stone
The woman has a heavy burden in her heart that is as hard as a stone

In a well made of bone
The woman's burden is deep and almost embedded in her bones

That you bring to the pond
The man helps the woman carry her emotional burden or tries to alleviate it, like carrying water to a pond

And I'm here in your pocket
The woman feels safe and close to the man, physically, like being inside his pocket

Curled up in a dollar
The woman is content with small things or has found value in something that others overlooked, like curling up in a dollar bill

And the chain from your watch around my neck
The woman wears the man's watch chain around her neck, which symbolizes her attachment to him

And I'll stay right here until it's time
The woman plans to stay with the man as long as she can

The girls all knit in the shade
The women are gathered in a peaceful spot, knitting in the shade

Before the baby is made
The women are knitting before a new life is brought into the world

And the branches bend down
The branches of a tree are flexible and move downward, as if to welcome the women

To the ground here to swing on
The women can have fun and feel carefree as they swing on the branches

I'm lost in the blond summer grass
The woman is immersed in her surroundings and forgets about her worries, like getting lost in the yellow summer grass

And the train whistle blows
The sound of the train whistle reminds the woman of the passage of time

And the carnival goes
Life goes on, like a carnival that never stops

'Til there's only the tickets and crows here
Eventually, all that remains is what is tangible or material, like tickets and crows

And the grass will all grow back
No matter what happens, nature will always find a way to restore itself

And the branches spell 'Alice'
The branches form the name 'Alice', perhaps indicating the woman's true identity or her place in the world

And I belong only to you
The woman once again feels a strong sense of belonging with the man