Jen Cloher

Baby We Were Born To Die

Jen Cloher


Every morning
I wake alone
Naked and dumb
I present myself to you
Nothing to fear
One day I'm gonna die
And all that I did
Will be witnessed
In a sparrows eye

I’ll never know just why
If I don’t sing I sigh
Baby, we were born to die

Deers are barking
In the middle of the night
Echo through the woods
They sound like spirits
Leaving their bodies
Before they fly
Watching the one
Who gave you breath
Take their last
Who held your little life
Like a precious stone In their grasp

I’ll never know just why
If I don’t sing I sigh
Baby, we were born to die

Birds wake up singing
How good is that?
Every blade of grass
Gets on with growing
While people in the city
Grow lawns for mowing
All watched over by machines
Of loving grace
When all is told
Will we have even left a trace?

I’ll never know just why
If I don’t sing I sigh
Just have to be don’t try
'Cause baby, we were born to die