Album: Annie's Song

Potter¡¯s Wheel

This song appears on three albums, and was first released on the Different Directions album, and has also been released on The John Denver Collection - Annie¡¯s Song album. It has also been released on The John Denver Collection - Calypso album, as a live version.
The world is fast becoming younger
The news is all they¡¯ve ever known
They¡¯ve seen the wars, the hurt, the hunger
How will they choose when they are grown
What do you tell forever¡¯s children
When it¡¯s their turn to hurt and heal
Whatever spins a grim tornedo
Can also turn a potters wheel
Take a little clay
Put it on a wheel
Get a little hint
How God must feel
Give a little turn
Listen to a spin
Make it into the shape
You want it in
Tell with your life the bloody story
Teach to they¡¯re dreams not burning steel
It¡¯s not in bombs where lies the glory
But in what¡¯s shattered on the field
The potter¡¯s wheel takes love and caring
Skill and patience fast and slow
The works it makes are easily broken
Once they survive the potter¡¯s throw
Take a little clay
Put it on a wheel
Get a little hint
How God must feel
Give a little turn
Listen to a spin
Make it into the shape
You want it in
Some day some children will be digging
In some long forgotten ground
And they¡¯ll find our civilisation
Or what¡¯s left of it to be found
They¡¯ll find the weapons of destruction
But buried deeper in the hole
They¡¯ll find a message and a promise
In the sand, the potter¡¯s bowl
Take a little clay
Put it on a wheel
Get a little hint
How God must feel
Give a little turn
Listen to a spin
Make it into the shape
You want it in
Earth and fire and wind conspire
With human hands, and love, and fire
Words and Music by Bill Danoff