Lyrks
Lyrks
Lyrks
Cover Art

Birds Hover the Trampled Field Lyrics by Richard Siken

War of the Foxes

2014

I saw them hiding in the yellow field, crouching low
in the vanished dark. I followed them pretending
they were me because they were. I wanted to explain
myself to myself in an understandable way. I gave
shape to my fears and made excuses. I varied my
velocities, watched myselves sleep. Something's not
right about what I'm doing but I'm still doing it--
living in the worst parts, ruining myself. My inner life
is a sheet of black glass. If I fell through the floor
I would keep falling. The enormity of my desire
disgusts me. I kissed my mouth, it was no longer
a mouth. I threw a spear at my head, I didn't have
a head. Fox. At the throat of. The territory is more
complex that I supposed. What does a body of
knowledge look like? A body, any body. Look away
but I'm still there. Birds flying but I'm still there,
lurk there. Not just one of me but multitudes in
the hayfield. Want someone to chase you? Run.
Take a body, dump it, drive. Take a body, maybe
your own, and dump it gently. All your dead,
unfinished selves and dump them gently. Take only
what you need. The machine of the world--if you
don't grab on, you begin to tremble. And if you do
grab on, then everything trembles. I spent my lamp
and cleft my head. Deep-wounded mind, I wasn't
doing anything with it anyway. And the birds looking
for a place to land. I would like to say something
about grace, and the brown corduroy thrift store coat
I bought for eight-fifty when you told me my
paintings were empty. Never finish a war without
starting another. I've seen your true face: the back
of your head. If you were walking away, keep walking.
Credits
Richard Siken

Richard Siken

About “Birds Hover the Trampled Field” by Richard Siken

Read the complete lyrics to "Birds Hover the Trampled Field" by Richard Siken from the album "War of the Foxes" in 2014. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Literature, Poetry, Non-Music.

"Birds Hover the Trampled Field" is performed by Richard Siken. from the album "War of the Foxes" in 2014 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Birds Hover the Trampled Field", explore more songs by Richard Siken using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for Richard Siken · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"Birds Hover the Trampled Field" is credited to Richard Siken. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Birds Hover the Trampled Field" appears on "War of the Foxes" in 2014.

Visit the Richard Siken artist page at /artist/richard-siken for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.