About a Boy

Patti Smith

Toward another
He has gone
To breathe an air
Beyond his own
Toward a wisdom
Beyond the shelf
Toward a dream
That dreams itself

About a boy
Beyond it all
About a boy
Beyond it all

From the forest
From the foam
From the field
That he had
Known
Toward a river
Twice as blessed
Toward the inn
Of happiness

About a boy
Beyond it all
About a boy
Beyond it all

From a chaos
Raging sweet
From the deep
And dismal street
Toward another
Kind of peace
Toward the great
Emptiness

About a boy
Beyond it all
About a boy
Beyond it all

I stood among them
I stood alone
Boy boy
Just a boy
Just a little boy
Just a little boy
Who will never grow