the stranger song - leonard cohen
its true that all the men you knew were dealers
who said they were through with dealing
every time you gave them shelter
i know that kind of man
its hard to hold the hand of anyone
who is reaching for the sky just to surrender.
who is reaching for the sky just to surrender.
and then sweeping up the jokers that he left behind
you find he did not leave you very much
not even laughter
like any dealer he was watching for the card
that is so high and wild
hell never need to deal another
he was just some joseph looking for a manger
he was just some joseph looking for a manger.
and then leaning on your window sill
hell say one day you caused his will
to weaken with your love and warmth and shelter
and then taking from his wallet
an old schedule of trains, hell say
i told you when i came i was a stranger
but now another stranger seems to want you to ignore his dreams
as though they were the burden of some other
o youve seen that man before
his golden arm dispatching cards
but now its rusted from the elbow to the finger
and he wants to trade the game he plays for shelter
yes he wants to trade the game he knows for shelter.
you hate to watch another tired man
lay down his hand
like he was giving up the holy game of poker
and while he talks his dreams to sleep
you notice theres a highway
that is curling up like smoke above his shoulder
its curling up like smoke above his shoulder.
you tell him to come in sit down
but something makes you turn around
the door is open you cant close you shelter
you try the handle of the road
it opens do not be afraid
its you my love, you who are the stranger
it is you my love, you who are the stranger.
well, ive been waiting, i was sure
wed meet between the trains were waiting for
i think its time to board another
please understand, i never had a secret chart
to get me to the heart of this
or any other matter
well he talks like this
you dont know what hes after
when he speaks like this,
you dont know what hes after.
lets meet tomorrow if you chose
upon the shore, beneath the bridge
that they are building on some endless river
then he leaves the platform
for the sleeping car thats warm
you realize, hes only advertising one more shelter
and it comes to you, he never was a stranger
and you say ok the bridge or someplace later.
and then sweeping up the jokers
that he left behind
you find he did not leave you very much
not even laughter
like any dealer he was watching for the card
that is so high and wild
hell never need to deal another
he was just some joseph looking for a manger
he was just some joseph looking for a manger.
and leaning on your window sill
hell say one day you caused his will
to weaken with your love and warmth and shelter
and then taking from his wallet
an old schedule of trains
hell say i told you when i came i was a stranger
i told you when i came i was a stranger.
