Moon and Sun

the moon used to fool us

and we still say it "shines"

when we know it's reflecting

the sun beyond the pines

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and it's the same for me

people think i'm fine

sometimes i'm the only one who knows

it's because you're mine

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(refrain) i'm the moon to your sun

mirror to your light

you are the dawn at the end of my night

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the world throws a shadow

at the ever-changing moon

hard to know at night

the sun is coming soon

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and it's the same for me

dark before the dawn

sometimes i'm the only one who knows

the dark side you are on

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(refrain)

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(coda) and the stars we can share

there's thousands of you out there

sister stars

everywhere

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(refrain)

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i wrote this song in a couple of hours tonight, after taking a break for two days. all i did was let the image roll around in my head, without writing anything down.

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it's a response to Fred's "Tunnel": "she lights the light at the end of the tunnel". Eaglesmith is a master at putting a spin on well-known phrases and images to make them fresh and interesting. it's something i strive for myself.

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i needed to find another metaphor to say a similar thing, so i stole an idea from another great Canadian writer, Lynn Miles. her song is "I'm the Moon": "You're the sun, I'm the moon".

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Deb and i have always loved this song, and it's one of very few we play together. it has a rolling drum beat that Deb kills on the cajon. and it suits our personalities - if you can't guess, i'm the moon - the one with a dark side, and a shiny one, thanks to the sun. Deb is the positive one, who shines her light on my darkness.

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when i got two verses and the refrain, and was wondering how or whether i should continue - another verse? bridge and verse? - i found it a bit black-and-white. so i added some grey by changing the last line of verse two to suggest that she, like everyone, also has a dark side, while helping me to dispel mine.

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then an idea for a coda to add something universal to the personal, ie. women, "sister stars", who shine on their respective planets and moons.

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there are ten songs on "Dusty". i've now written eight for the current project, and i had previously written another, "Ridin' the Fences", as a direct response to the album. so i only need one more. it will be interesting to see whether i continue with FAWM towards 14 total for February, once i write a response to the tenth, "Ship", which is another common metaphor, turned beautifully by Mr. Eaglesmith. perhaps i shouldn't be counting chickens - "my ship needs to come in".