Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire

joni mitchell

cold blue steel out of money • one eye for the beat police
sweet fire calling "you can't deny me • now you know what you need"
underneath the jungle gym • hollow-grey-fire-escape-thief
looking for sweet fire shadow of lady release
"come with me • I know the way" she says
"it's down down down the dark ladder
do you want to contact somebody first
leave someone a letter
you can come now or you can come on later"

a wristwatch...a ring...a downstairs screamer • edgy-black cracks of the sky
"pin-cushion-prick-fix this poor bad dreamer!" • "money" cold shadows reply
pawnshops crisscrossed and padlocked • corridors spit on prayers and pleas
sparks fly up from sweet fire • black soot of lady release
"come with me • I know the way" she says
"it's down down down the dark ladder
do you want to contact somebody first
does it really matter
if you come now or if you come on later?"

red water in the bathroom sink • fever and the scum brown bowl
blue steel still begging but it's indistinct • someone's Hi-Fi drumming Jelly Roll
concrete concentration camp bashing in veins for peace
cold blue steel and sweet fire • fall into lady release
"come with me • I know the way" she says
"it's down down down the dark ladder
do you want to contact somebody first
I mean what does it really matter
you're going to come now or you're going to come later"