Born into a raging snowstorm

Sweeping movement in the sky

When you were young they called you Millie

With your dreamy smoky purple eyes

Woo you sang to sleep your favourite monkey

Housewives called you queer and crazy

Pulling a baby buggy full of groceries

You became a riddle of a landlady



Oh Emily Carr

In the forest I found you

You painted what you felt

Poured until the pail was empty

The panther called you Klee Wyck



In the quiet of the *endymion hour

The ancients came a knocking

Up the stairs into the lamplight in the attic

Tumbled gigantic and chaotic

In the lonely Indian village

Between the forest and the shore

Relief's a funny kind of kinship

By the houses of the totem pole



Oh Emily Carr

In the forest I found you

You painted what you felt

Poured until the pail was empty

The raven called you Klee Wyck



You bought an old gypsy trailer

A taxi hauled you into the wood

Curried sausage on the fire

Where your inner sanctum stood

Never one to starve one's own soul no no no

Better to be a street sweeper

Pull the peacock from out thy heart

Why is laughter like a pen ?



Oh Emily Carr

In the forest I found you

You painted what you felt

Poured until the pail was empty

Oh Emily Carr, oh Emily Carr

The thunderbird called you KIee Wyck



The laughing one

The laughing one



*Endymion -- In Greek mythology, a handsome young man who was loved by a

moon goddess and whose youth was preserved by eternal sleep