The Stranger Song

It's 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
It's hard to hold the hand of anyone
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
he'll 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
he'll 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, he'll say

I told you when I came I was a stranger
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 you've seen that man before
his golden arm dispatching cards
but now it's 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 there's a highway
that is curling up like smoke above his shoulder
It's 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 can't close you shelter

You try the handle of the road
It opens do not be afraid
It's you my love, you who are the stranger
It is you my love, you who are the stranger.

Well, I've been waiting, I was sure
we'd meet between the trains we're waiting for
I think it's 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 don't know what he's after
When he speaks like this,
you don't know what he's after.

Let's 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 that's warm
You realize, he's 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
he'll 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
he'll 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
he'll say I told you when I came I was a stranger
I told you when I came I was a stranger.

-leonard cohen

these lyrics to this song capture me sometimes, and i have to listen to the song again and again until finally I can say it's over.