It's only when the high winds blow I wish my hair was long Sailing through the autumn singin' an ancient song Or falling in love in the streets at at the edge of a local square only that I'm here tonight thinkin' I was there
There's high winds on the pier tonight, my soul from me Striding like Ghost south on the murky sea And into midnight's tapestry she fades, and wild down her ancestry in the costume of a Persian child
So Gulf winds bring me flying fish, that shine in the moon Show me the horizon where the dawn will anew And cool me here on lonely pier, where the heron are flying low Echo the my father knew in the towns of Mexico
When I was young my eyes were wise, my father was to me Instead of having a of sons he had two other girls and me And if we'd used our Spanish names, here's the way run Thalia, Margarita and Juanita, I'm the one
The screen door kept the Demons in as we moved from to town It's hard to be a princess in the States when your skin is And Mama my worried brow, as I leaned on the kitchen door "Why do you the weight", she said "Of the world and more"
Gulf winds me flying fish, that shine in the crescent moon Show me the horizon where the will break anew And cool me here on this pier, where the heron are flying low Echo the songs my knew in the towns of Mexico
My were ministers and it came on down the line My Father in his parents' church he was ten years and nine And Mama in parishioners' clothes and didn't believe in Hell Her fought the DAR, if he'd lived, I'd have known him well
They said, "Go a Sunday School", we must have tried them all I never stole from the plate, my sisters had more gall One preacher said, "Sing out loud and clear, it's the only life got And the next one said, "Be good on You've another life at the of God"
And Gulf winds me flying fish, that shine in the crescent moon Show me the horizon the dawn will break anew And cool me on this lonely pier, where the heron are flying low Echo the my fathers knew in the towns of Mexico
My father turned many a job just to give us something real It's hard to be a in the States when you've got ideals And Mama kept the budget book, and she kept the too Bought from the man on Thursdays, fed all of us and strangers too
But time will pass and so, alas, will most of we know Though tonight my eye is clear as the story's being told And I'll ball with the underdog and sit with the child who's wrong Be still when the earth is silent and when my strength is gone
So Gulf winds bring me flying fish, shine in the crescent moon Show me the horizon where the dawn break anew And cool me here on this pier, where the heron are flying low Echo the songs my knew in the towns of Mexico
Now Father's going to India, sometime in the They tried to stay together but you can't do it all I'll think about him if he goes, there's a little gray in his not much 'cause he's Mexican, they don't age, they just prepare
And if he goes to India, miss him most of all He'll see me in the mudlarks' face, hear me in the beggar's And Mama will home, I guess, and worry if she did wrong And I'll say a for both of them and sing them both my song
And Gulf bring me flying fish, that shine in the crescent moon Show me the horizon where the will break anew And cool me here on lonely pier, where the heron are flying low the songs my father knew in the towns of Mexico