My 4 or 5 Trees

  

Here are the ([haltingly] spoken word) lyrics of Rachel's song "4 or 5 Trees" on Systems/Layers.

I was thinking about it again the other day.
I'm not sure of...

I can't remember the name.
It was down the street from my apartment.

I used to go down there pretty often...
Once a month or so.
It was set back from the street.

It had a courtyard garden...
a courtyard garden with a winding path,

a stone gazebo,

and four or five trees.
It had beautiful tall windows and red stone walls.
I never went inside.
It was clear to me that...

I should keep it as it was in my imagination.
The most peaceful place.

I haven't been inside Things and Dreams, a gift shop in Talkeetna, because it's clear to me that I should keep it as it is in my imagination.  A gypsy fortune teller's incensey lair with scarves and veils nailed loosely to the walls.  There's a shelf of sinister-looking snow globes, and a shelf of unlabeled amber-colored glass tincture bottles.  The light inside is dim.  The gypsy fortune teller has long grey wavy hair, red lips and an unreadable facial expression.  She tells my fortune with a pack of regular playing cards.  As the conversation moves she interprets my dreams and things.