Little Green

by Joni Mitchell   
Born with the moon in Cancer
Choose her a name she will answer to
Call her green and the winters cannot fade her
Call her green for the children who've made her
Little green, be a gypsy dancer

He went to California
Hearing that everything's warmer there
So you write him a letter and say "Her eyes are blue"
He sends you a poem and she's lost to you
Little green he's a non-conformer

Just a little green
Like the color when the spring is born
There'll be crocuses to bring to school tomorrow
Just a little green
Like the nights when the Northern lights perform
There'll be icicles and birthday clothes
And sometimes there'll be sorrow

Child with a child pretending
Weary of lies you are sending home
So you sign all the papers in the family name
You're sad and you're sorry but you're not ashamed
Little green have a happy ending

Just a little green
Like the color when the spring is born
There'll be crocuses to bring to school tomorrow
Just a little green
Like the nights when the Northern lights perform
There'll be icicles and birthday clothes
And sometimes there'll be sorrow



Born with the moon in Cancer
Choose her a name she will answer to
Call her green and the winters cannot fade her
Call her green for the children who've made her
Little green, be a gypsy dancer

He went to California
Hearing that everything's warmer there
So you write him a letter and say "Her eyes are blue"
He sends you a poem and she's lost to you
Little green he's a non-conformer

Just a little green
Like the color when the spring is born
There'll be crocuses to bring to school tomorrow
Just a little green
Like the nights when the Northern lights perform
There'll be icicles and birthday clothes
And sometimes there'll be sorrow

Child with a child pretending
Weary of lies you are sending home
So you sign all the papers in the family name
You're sad and you're sorry but you're not ashamed
Little green have a happy ending

Just a little green
Like the color when the spring is born
There'll be crocuses to bring to school tomorrow
Just a little green
Like the nights when the Northern lights perform
There'll be icicles and birthday clothes
And sometimes there'll be sorrow

Meredith Davern

“Little Green”

A shifting point of view allows Joni Mitchell in “Little Green” to employ life juxtaposition, artistic characterization, and hopeful personification to show how life’s hard decisions can “have a happy ending.”

            Moving from through several points of view helps to instill the message of a happy ending. The use of personal pronouns “she is lost to you” makes the song seem like it is happening to the listener. The listener is pulled into the song by the second person narrative, but gets interested as soon as the artist seems to be talking to them. The listener begins to realize how everyone goes through hardships, and they begin to identify with the song. When someone can identify with a song then they can really start to see and feel the emotion of a song. By changing the point of view the listener imagines it in new and different ways. The shift allows that listener to soak in the rest of the song.

            Sad but hopeful Joni uses real life juxtaposition idea to show the bright side of a terribly hard decision. The song shows both the good in giving up a child, but also makes clear how hard it is to give up someone who is loved very much. “And sometimes there’ll be sorrow” shows the hard side of life, but “have a happy ending” alludes to a hopeful ending. The song pulls the idea that one relationship is ending, but a child’s life is beginning out of the lyrics. “So you sign all the papers in the family name. You’re sad and you’re sorry, but you’re not ashamed.” All the adoption papers are signed, and her baby has been taken away, but she knows that it was the right thing to do. The decision was hard, and the outcome is sad for the mother, but it allows that child to have the chance at the life it should have. Instead of living with nothing the baby will have all the options of any other child. 

            Characterization throughout “Little Green” really shows that time and feelings of all involved in the song. “Choose her a name she will answer to” creates the idea of a child in the listeners mind. “Call her green for the children who’ve created her.” The parents themselves are young. “Child with a child” The mother was overwhelmed “pretending” that she can handle having a child by herself. The father is not there “Her eyes are blue”, and has never seen his little girl. “He is a non-conformer” alluding to the idea that he is a hippie and roaming the country. The characterization shows the personality of those involved in the song. They are not mean or vicious people giving up a child, but overwhelmed and trying to look on the bright side of a hard life.

            The repetition of personification throughout the song adds hope to a hard place. “Spring is born” is used several times in the song, and it reinforces that the song has to do with a child; it also provides hope because spring is a time for blooming and beauty. “Just like the nights when the Northern lights perform” happiness can be found in a dark place. The dark night sky can light up with the dancers also known as the Northern lights. The word choice gives the lights the ability to dance across the night sky. Using both phrases throughout the chorus shows how the artist looks on the brighter side of a very hard choice. 

Showcasing literary devices and tools; Joni Mitchell shows a bright outlook and optimism in a bad situation.