Spirit Voices - Paul Simon

We sailed up a river wide as a sea

And slept on the banks

On the leaves of a banyan tree

And all of these spirit voices rule the night

Some stories are magical, meant to be sung

Song from the mouth of the river

When the world was young

And all of these spirit voices rule the night

By moon

We walk

To the brujo's door

Along a path of river stone

Women with their nursing children

Seated on the floor

We join the fevers

And the broken bones

The candlelight flickers

The falcon calls

A lime-green lizard scuttles down the cabin wall

And all of these spirit voices

Sing rainwater, sea water

River water, holy water

Wrap this child in mercy - heal her

Heaven's only daughter

All of these spirit voices rule the night

My hands were numb

My feet were lead

I drank a cup of herbal brew

Then the sweetness in the air

Combined with the lightness in my head

And I heard the jungle breathing in the bamboo

Saudac~oes (Greetings!)

D'a lic'enca um momento (Excuse me, one moment)

Te lembr'o (I remind you)

Que amanh~a (That tomorrow)

Ser'a tudo ou ser'a naoa (It will be all or it will)

(be nothing)

Depende, cora, c~ao (It depends, heart)

Ser'a breve ou ser'a grande (It will be brief or it will)

(be great)

Depende da paix~ao (It depends on the passion)

Ser'a sujo, ser'a sonho (It will be dirty, it will)

(be a dream)

Cuidado, cora, c~ao (Be careful, heart)

Ser'a 'util, ser'a tarde (It will be useful, it will be)

(late)

Se esmera, cora, c~ao (Do your best, heart)

E confia (And have trust)

Na for, ca do amanh~a (In the power of tomorrow)

Lord of the earthquake

My trembling bed

The spider resumes the rhythm

Of his golden thread

And all of these spirit voices rule the night