| Yesterday, a child came out to wander |
| Caught a dragonfly inside a jar |
| Fearful when the sky was full of thunder |
| And tearful at the falling of a star |
| And the seasons they go 'round and 'round |
| And the painted ponies go up and down |
| We’re captive on the carousel of time |
| We can’t return we can only look behind |
| From where we came |
| And go round and round and round |
| In the circle game |
| Then, the child moved ten times 'round the seasons |
| Skated over ten clear frozen streams |
| Words like, «When you’re older», must appease him |
| And promises of someday make his dreams |
| And the seasons they go 'round and 'round |
| And the painted ponies go up and down |
| We’re captive on the carousel of time |
| We can’t return we can only look behind |
| From where we came, |
| and go round and round and round |
| In the circle game |
| Sixteen springs and sixteen summers gone now |
| Cartwheels turn to car wheels through the town |
| And they tell him, «Take your time. It won’t be long now. |
| 'Til your drag your feet to slow the circles down» |
| And the seasons they go 'round and 'round |
| And the painted ponies go up and down |
| We’re captive on the carousel of time |
| We can’t return we can only look behind |
| From where we came |
| And go round and round and round |
| In the circle game |
| So the years spin by and now the boy is twenty |
| Though his dreams have lost some grandeur coming true |
| There’ll be new dreams, maybe better dreams and plenty |
| Before the last revolving year is through. |
| And the seasons they go 'round and 'round |
| And the painted ponies go up and down |
| We’re captive on the carousel of time |
| We can’t return, we can only look behind |
| From where we came |
| And go round and 'round and 'round |
| In the circle game |
| And go 'round and 'round and 'round in the circle game. |