Shadows and Light - Joni Mitchell

Every picture has its shadows

And it has some source of light

Blindness, blindness and sight

The perils of benefactors

The blessings of parasites

Blindness, blindness and sight

Threatened by all things

Devil of cruelty

Drawn to all things

Devil of delight

Mythical devil of the ever-present laws

Governing blindness, blindness and sight

Suntans in reservation dining rooms

Pale miners in their lantern rays

Night, night and day

Hostage smile on presidents

Freedom scribbled in the subway

It’s like night, night and day

Threatened by all things

God of cruelty

Drawn to all things

God of delight

Mythical god of the everlasting laws

Governing day, day and night

Critics of all expression

Judges in black and white

Saying it’s wrong, saying it’s right

Compelled by prescribed standards

Or some ideals we fight

For wrong, wrong and right

Threatened by all things

Man of cruelty — mark of Cain

Drawn to all things

Man of delight — born again, born again

Man of the laws, the ever-broken laws

Governing wrong, wrong and right

Governing wrong, wrong and right

Wrong and right