Distant Field

Distant Field Lyrics

Lyrics from Distant Field Collection:

Tumbleweed/ Hold Me/ If You Would Love Me / The Hand of Fate
No Center To It / Middle-Aged People / There Is Some Peace
Remembrance/How Can I Keep From Purring / Power of Love
Song For Auntie / Thank You / Walking That Line / Distant Field

This is a work in progress. For a copy of the works in progress CD ($10), or for a CD of one or more of these songs, please contact Betsy Wellings at endwell@juno.com.

How Can I Keep From Purring? © 1996 Betsy Wellings
Down to Earth Music, All rights reserved

My life proceeds in endless need
For human veneration
I hear the sweet words, "Kitty, dear"
The constant adoration
No dry cat food will quell my urge
To hear that gentle whirring
The electric can opener
How can I keep from purring?

What though the doggie near me sleeps
That foul abomination
Though he may grunt and snort and wheeze
I know no trepidation
For there between us lies the one
Who holds me without stirring
My humble servant, my human
How can I keep from purring?

While others dream within their beds
I'm to the curtains clinging
For I have torn the couch to shreds
My claws to sharpness bringing
And though I hang here in midair
With dogs below me snoring
My human soon will come for me
How can I keep from purring?

Humans are here to serve our needs
So every cat supposes
And when we're pampered, loved and fed
It's just what the world owes us
But there within my inmost heart
Beneath the flesh and furring
I know I am one lucky cat
How can I keep from purring?

Hold Me
© 2002 Betsy Wellings
Down to Earth Music, All rights reserved

When I think of all the time I wasted holding you apart
Now I have opened up the door and I am bathed in your loving heart
Standing tall among the evergreens and lulled by the water’s song
There is nothing left to fear for now I never walk alone

Hold me, hold me
Hold me in the darkness and the light
Hold me, unfold me
Let me be a burning candle in the night

When I think of all the storms that have come pounding on this shore
With one radiant burst of heaven breaking though that open door
What compelled me to be caught up in the thunder and the rain
When that blinding white electric light so glaringly remained

Hold me, hold me
Hold me in the darkness and the light
Hold me, unfold me
Let me be a burning candle in the night

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If You Would Love Me
© 1996 Betsy Wellings
Down to Earth Music, All rights reserved

If you would love me, know this one thing
You must be patient like blossoms in spring
Held back as buds, at last opening
To love that shall ever and always has been

I can be tender, I can be strong
I have been broken, I am no longer young
If you're not certain I am the one
Please don't approach me, no, do not come

Each of us has our own way to be
I would not ask you to lose yourself in me
For we are great rivers, bound for the sea
If you would love, if you would love me, let me run free

If you would love me, know this one thing
You must be patient, like blossoms in spring
Held back as buds, at last opening
To love that shall ever and always has been
To love that shall ever and always has been

I came upon your story in the paper
In seven column inches it was sealed
And that night as I slept
These words went rolling through my brain
"He died in a distant field."
What does that mean?
He died in a distant field

In a field of flowers
In a field of grain
In a field of laughter
Are you feeling any pain?
Do you walk alone
Or in the company of friends?
I'm almost sure I'll see you again
Oh, I am almost sure I'll see you again

Your brother told a story of the time
When in the middle of the night you took a walk
And you loosened every light bulb
On each porch along that street
Saying the nighttime was meant to be dark
Those were your words
The nighttime was meant to be dark

Well, what about the moon ?
What about the stars ?
What kind of light is shining
In the place where you are ?
Were you pulled away I
Into the dark of the night
Or were you beckoned by the light, my friend
Or were you beckoned by the light ?

Had another dream
You were standing next to me
I was holding you
So warm and so real
And you laughed to hear me say
That you should see a doctor soon
You said, "I'm fine now,
My heart is all healed"
You laughed and said, "I'm fine now,
My heart is all healed."

Healed by the light
Healed by the force
Healed by the river
That knew no other course
And the very next day I saw someone
Who could have been your twin
He looked at me like I wasn't there
And I tried not to stare at him
Oh, I tried not to stare at him.

Now today I find myself
All too wide awake
I do not feel you anywhere around
I guess you've gone far away
Into that distant field
And I am planted here
In the ground, safe and sound
Planted here in this sacred ground
In my field of laughter
In my field of pain
Washed by the sunlight
The wind and the rain
I walk alone
In the company of friends
I'm almost sure I'll see you again
Oh, I am almost sure I'll see you again

Tumbleweed
© 1996 Betsy Wellings
Down to Earth Music, All rights reserved

Out here on the prairie
Somewhere in between
It's even cold for January
I'd like to see a sign of green

So much I remember
More I'd would forget
Seems the world has forgotten me
But I am not gone yet
The sun still hasn't set

Chorus:
Someday soon I'll be letting go
This old body I won't need
I'll melt away like the thawing snow
Drift away like the tumbleweed
The rolling tumbleweed

The tumbleweed I've heard them say
Is a useless prickly pest
But when the land is parched and dry
It holds water with the rest

With its roots left far behind
It spreads its seeds it along
To watch it gives me peace of mind
Reminds me that life goes on,
And I'll be moving on
Chorus

Bridge:
I'm on the wrong side of the house
To see the sun go down
But I'll watch the moon rise over the field
The earth keeps spinning round

My life with Emily
Was so long and fine
We'd sit on the porch and watch things grow
And the wind would gently rise

I've always longed to wander
But all my life I've stayed
Someday I'll take off yonder
Following the lead
Of the rolling tumbleweed.
Chorus

There is some peace
Here on this river
And yet I find myself wondering
What's around the bend
And it goes on
Some say forever
And we’ll our freedom
At the journey's end

It is as simple as a song
Cascading over sand and stone
And land that cannot hold its own
Against the rising stream
For all I see for all I know
I still must fight the undertow
At times I struggle to let go
And to let be

From time to time
I lose my spirit
And then I find myself floundering
Sinking in despair
I close my eyes
So I can hear it
The sound of loving waters
Rising everywhere

Now coming from a hidden source
Rebounding with a mighty force
I ride the river
In the face of all my fears
I break the surface to deny
The darkness that would nullify me
I am present in the light
That always finds me here

Thank you for the love you give me every day
Thank you for the time we spend just talking
Nothing can replace the loving words you say
Thank you for the time
Thank you for the time
Thank you for the time we spend just talking

Thank you for the many things you’ve taught to me
Honesty, kindness and sharing
You guide me along the path so carefully
You help me to be
You help me to be
You help me be responsible and caring

And yes, you’ve taught me not to lie
To be as truthful as anyone can be
And that’s the very reason why
I’m not going to say
I’m not going to say
Thank you for making me eat my peas!

I know you don’t have all the answers
But I’ll keep asking questions anyway
Nothing can replace the loving words you say
Thank you for the time
Thank you for the time
Thank you for being here today Back to Top

The Hand of Fate © 2004 Betsy Wellings
Down to Earth Music, All rights reserved

Worked out this morning
Did cardio and lifted weights
When my friend asked me to take a power walk
I did not hesitate
We lunched on giant salads
Rolls and butter we shunned
And as I sipped my diet coke
I thought the deal was done

Chorus
That’s when the hand of fate stepped in
And I could not turn away
If the universe don’t want me thin
Well, who am I to say?
When that dessert cart rolled around
I knew it was too late
I watched my diet come crashing down
Into the hands of fate

The women’s magazines announce
The newest way to get thin
They also preach that the wisest voice
Is one that comes from within
I heard my stomach’s plaintive growl
Here’s what it seemed to say
Why not just take that cheesecake now?
You know you’re gonna eat it anyway

That's when the hand of fate stepped in
And I could not turn away
If the universe don’t want me thin
Well, who am I to say?
When that dessert cart rolled around
I knew it was too late
I watched my diet come crashing down
Into the hands of fate

Everything happens for a reason
As part of a plan divine
I don’t think that cheesecake would have come my way
Unless it were meant to be mine

I’m not ashamed of what I did
I’ve no regrets at all
I followed my heart and it led to my stomach
As I answered destiny’s call
The only thing that stops me cold
One thought that worries me
One thought that worries me
When I step on the scale
Will the hand of fate
Be stepping on with me?

Oh, when the hand of fate steps in
No, I can not turn away
If the universe don’t want me thin
Well, who am I to say?
When that dessert cart rolls around
I know it is too late
I watch my diet come crashing down
Into the hands of fate
Woke up this morning
Into the hand of fate
With good intentions
Into the hand of fate
She's only human
Into the hand of fate
I ate cheesecake

Walking that line
What do you mean?
You know I do it all the time
What do you think you're seeing
I am a product of my own design

What the world provides
Are sad entanglements
That shatter and divide
We play the angles
As a way to survive
Our true selves denied

Bones of contention
Sometimes they seem to be
Too awkward to mention
You're looking down on me
You doubt my intention
My authenticity
But I won't be defined
I'm of my own design

Walking that line
What do you mean?
You know I do it all the time
What do you think you're seeing?
I am a product of my own design

Walking that line
I still can break through
To that once upon a time
I've made mistakes enough
To know my own mind
And I will not resign

Walking that line
Between outside the norm
And out of my mind
I know I could conform
But I'm not inclined
You know I wasn't born
To be caught and confined
I'm of my own design

Try it some time
I know you think you do
See with your own eyes
What the world is coming to
But you wear your disguise
So no one can see you

Walking that line
What do you mean?
You know I do it all the time
What do you think you're seeing?
I am a product of my own design

Here’s to Auntie Alberta, to her memory
She drank deeply of life, though she never touched wine
Here’s to the melodies she brought my way
I can still see her eyes light up and shine
As she sang, “Let your eyebrows mingle with mine”

A teacher, a poet, a mother, a friend
A generous heart overflowing in song
A woman of stature though just four foot ten
And a mind still going strong
All the way to the end

When I would visit we always would sing
She’d tell me stories of when she was young
Of brothers and sisters whose voices would ring
With “My Darling Clementine”
And “Love’s Old Sweet Song”

She and my grandma, like my sisters and I
Used to light up the kitchen with song sweet and high
As they washed up those dishes and went on to dry
In the harmony of hearts
In the wink of an eye
In The Sweet By and By

I must admit that she sometimes got lost
Caught up in memories, and things of the past
But the course of a lifetime goes by us so fast
It was only yesterday
She was a smiling young lass

Warm sudsy water and everyday dishes
Harmony, laughter and love to inspire
Closing my eyes, I can see their sweet faces
Hear them together again
In the heavenly choir
Singing, "All Through the Night”
And “My Old Kentucky Home"
"My Grandfather’s Clock,
Silver Threads Amongst the Gold,
Oh, my darling Nellie Gray,
So dear, so long ago
Swing low, sweet chariot, swing low,
Swing low, sweet chariot, swing low"

Swing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home
Swing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home....

Middle-Aged People© 2003 Betsy Wellings
Down to Earth Music, All rights reserved.

Middle aged people don’t lie to themselves anymore
Maybe we won't start that diet next week
Or learn to speak Spanish or Russian or Greek
Life is too short to be looking to add a new chore
Middle aged people don’t lie to themselves anymore

Middle aged people don’t suck in their guts anymore
We don’t need to impress you or show you our stuff
We know that our best’s got to be good enough
Otherwise we wouldn’t ever have gotten this far
Middle aged people know pretty darned well who they are

Bridge:
Middle aged people don’t need a mirror
To comb over bald spots or touch up their hair
What they see in the glass looks remotely familiar
Hey! What is my mother’s face doing in there?

Middle aged people grow strange little middle-aged hairs
They emerge from our chins and sprout out of our ears
In unseemly locations, crop up unawares
It’s nice that my eyesight is going so I cannot see
Just how darned hairy a middle-aged person can be

Middle aged people do talk to themselves now and then
They even might respond if an answer is due
If you think they've gone nuts, well just that might be true
Better a cracked nut than one that is stuck in its shell
Middle-aged people might tell you to just go to...hell

Bridge:
Middle aged people don’t need a mirror
To comb over bald spots or touch up their hair
What they see in the glass looks remotely familiar
Hey! What is my father’s face doing in there?

Middle aged people remember much more than you’d think
It might take a moment to pause and reflect
It might take a decade or so to connect
But eventually we will remember what we would recall
Middle aged people know we have not lost it at all

Middle aged people don’t lie to themselves anymore...

Power of Love © 2002 Betsy Wellings
Down to Earth Music, All rights reserved

I cannot say if there’s a God up in heaven
I don’t even know if there’s a heaven above
There isn’t a place I can put all my faith
But I believe in the power of love

With all due respect to the teachings of old
To all of the new ones I haven’t heard of
They’re not worth a thing if our hearts have grown cold
Oh, I believe in the power of love

Chorus: Oh, I believe, I do believe
I believe in the power of love
Oh, I believe, I do believe
I believe in the power of love

A life beyond this one remains to be seen
Or lifetimes before us, if one’s not enough
I’ve never seen auras or angels with wings
But I believe in the power of love

Sometimes I wish I had more to hold onto
Traveling a road that is rocky and rough
But most of the time I am happy and strong
And I believe in the power of love

Chorus

The streaming of starlight through infinite skies
The wind on the water, the touch of a friend
The mystical light in my little one’s eyes
These are truths I can defend

And if ever I’m blessed with my own revelation
Truth from the heavens delivered below
I’ll stand on the street corners, preaching salvation
But for now, this is all that I know

Chorus

I’m certain I don’t know of what to be certain
I wish there was more I could be certain of
I certainly hope when they pull back the curtain
They’ll show me even more of the power of love

But for now, I believe, I do believe
I believe in the power of love
Oh, I believe, I do believe
I believe in the power of love

There are times when the water breaks
In ripples within ripples in the wind
In kaleidoscope design
Shells of blue and green, along the borderline
There's a feeling breaking through
There's a moment when the blue turns to white
A memory in flight
Closing into darkness, closing into light

And there is no center to it
This kaleidoscope design
Unless it's a reflection
Connecting me to this one place and time
And there is no center to it
There's no single star that shines
Unless it be the earth
Whose turning keeps the sun in line
Unless it be me standing here
By the water on this new day
In this one small moment of time

In this one small moment
I am taken by a state of grace
So brightly ablaze
Quietly at peace, perfectly in place
There's a song in the silence
I am silent as it comes to arrive
Newborn and alive
Something like a dream, seen with open eyes

And there is no center to it
This kaleidoscope design
It's only a reflection
Connecting me to this one place in time
And there is no center to it
There's no single star that shines
Unless it be the song
That's hooked itself upon my line
Unless it be me standing here
By the water on this new day
In this one small moment of time

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Remembrance © 1996 Betsy Wellings
Down to Earth Music, All rights reserved.
I kept my eyes on the bride and groom
And I tried to just relax
With my Mom and Dad in the very same room
The world just might collapse

But no, the day went on as planned
Through the vows and the wedding cake
And they rose above their bitterness
For their five grown children's sake

Later on we hovered round
Just trying to soak it in
As our mother and our father sat there
Talking like old friends

Oh the mystery of love
It never really dies
Though we try and push it down
It will find a way to rise

It was only a few months ago
In the hours before the dawn
That my sister came to let me know
That our mother had passed on

The church was filled with flowers and friends
And the flowers were mostly white
But someone who had known her well
Sent wildflowers blooming bright

Oh the mystery of death
And the love that loss discloses
For among the flowers my father sent
Were a dozen long-stemmed roses - red, red roses

Now it's winter and beneath the ground
In my mother's yard lie sleeping
Fifty -odd daffodils set to bloom
At the very first sign of spring

And they won't arise in orderly rows
They're not part of a well- planned garden
They will raise their heads like a field of stars
In the early hours of the morning

Oh the mystery of life
That to other life is born
The daffodils in my own back yard
Will be blooming before long

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