Castles in the Sky

Castles in the Sky

There's books of trains and books of cars,
And books of little bugs that fly
But here's a catalog of things
That happen in the wide blue sky.

There's a solace in the clouds, my friend,
And wonders passing by and by,
So bend your knees, away you go,
To look for castles in the sky.

The ground's already far away
The world below looks very small
And bikes and cars and dogs and trees
Are barley anything at all.

When I was just a little child
I thought the clouds were caught by men,
Who roped them down to hang above
Then let them loose to drift again.

But now you see that clouds are born
In secret places in the sky,
And tucked away from earthly folk,
But plain to see for you and I.

See, you and I, my little one
Can see the world through different eyes
We see the birds are flying south,
We see the gardens in the skies.

And messages, passed through the air
I miss the things we used to do
From lovers, parents, bosses, friends,
The trees we climbed the kites we flew.

And higher still, the air is clear;
A biplane passes over head
With cargo packed for far away,
And polished metal gleaming red.

Where do the lost balloons all go?
Balloons that fly from people's hands
All find a new home in the sky,
To carry folks to far-off lands.

But now the night is drawing in,
The shadows lengthen down below,
And couples sit in garden chairs,
And talk, content, in evening's glow.

And look! Emerging from the clouds,
A really rather special sight,
The fireflies come out and dance
To welcome in the coming night.

Astronomers begin their work
As darkness falls, far down bellow,
With telescopes and lunar maps,
They cart the starry ways to go.

And travelers in high speed trains
Look up to see the glowing lights
And press their hands against the glass,
The train moves onward through the night.

The earth below is wreathed in clouds,
The stars are cold, the night is clear,
And folks below are tucked in bed,
It's not that far to go my dear.

But down on earth the bakers work,
To make tomorrow's loves of bread,
And mail-trains rumble through the dark
All packed with letters to be read.

And now at last, the gentle moon,
The surface marked with ancient scars
And home to you, my little one,
Who sleeps beneath the shining stars.

The birds are waiting for the light,
The corn is growing through the night,
The poplars rustle in the breeze,
The apples grow upon the trees.

You've come so far, your journey's done.
The stars are arching overhead,
You've seen the castles in the sky
It's time for you to go to bed.