| Suzanne | |
| Suzanne takes you down to her place near the river. | |
| You can hear the boats go by, you can spend the night beside her, | |
| And you know that she's half-crazy but that's why you want to be there, | |
| And she feeds you tea and oranges that come all the way from China, | |
| And just when you mean to tell her that you have no love to give her, | |
| Then she gets you on her wavelength and she lets the river answer | |
| That you've always been her lover. | |
| And you want to travel with her and you want to travel blind, | |
| And you know that she will trust you, | |
| For you've touched her perfect body with your mind. | |
| And Jesus was a sailor when he walked upon the water, | |
| And he spent a long time watching from his lonely wooden tower. | |
| And when he knew for certain only drowning men could see him, | |
| He said, "All men will be sailors then until the sea shall free them." | |
| But he himself was broken long before the sky would open. | |
| Forsaken, almost human, he sank beneath your wisdom like a stone. | |
| And you want to travel with him and you want to travel blind, | |
| And you think maybe you'll trust him, | |
| For he's touched your perfect body with his mind. | |
| Now Suzanne takes your hand and she leads you to the river. | |
| She is wearing rags and feathers from Salvation Army counters. | |
| And the sun pours down like honey on Our Lady of the Harbor, | |
| And she shows you where to look among the garbage and the flowers. | |
| There are heroes in the seaweed, there are children in the morning. | |
| They are leaning out for love and they will lean that way forever | |
| While Suzanne holds the mirror. | |
| And you want to travel with her and you want to travel blind, | |
| And you know that you can trust her, | |
| For she's touched your perfect body with her mind. | |
| - Leonard Cohen | |
| Painting © Jonathon Earl Bowser (www.jonathonart.com) | |
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