Green finch and linnet bird,
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Nightingale, blackbird,
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How is it you sing?
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How can you jubilate,
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sitting in cages,
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Never taking wing?
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Outside the sky waits,
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Beckoning, Beckoning,
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Just beyond the bars,
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How can you remain,
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staring at the rain,
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Maddened by the stars?
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How is it you sing anything?
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How is it you sing?
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Green finch and linnet bird,
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Nightingle, blacjbird,
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How is it you sing?
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Whence comes this melody constantly flowing?
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Is it rejoicing or merely halloing?
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Are you discussing or fussing
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Or simply dreaming?
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Are you crowing?
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Are you screaming?
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Ringdove and robinet,
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Is it for wages,
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singing to be sold?
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Have you decided it's
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safer in cages,
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singing when you're told?
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My cage has many rooms,
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Damask and dark.
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Nothing there sings,
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Not even my lark.
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Larks never will, you know,
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Whens they're captive.
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Teach me to be more adaptive.
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Ahh...
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Green finch and linnet bird,
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Nightingale, blackbird,
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Teach me how to sing.
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If I cannot fly,
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Let me sing.
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-----------------
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Green Finch and Linner Bird
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Stephen Sondheim |