to the tune of "A Thousand Kisses Deep" by Leonard Cohen
Though I am old with wandering, I am as young as tears, For when I fell -- oh, long I fell -- I was but sixteen years. Your scales agleam, your eyes afire Your cold and ancient song; I longed to live a life with you A thousand summers long.
We lay upon the rocks and spoke Of what has always been Of whitened shells, and icy depths And mysteries kept therein; For you were old, as old as earth And fierce and wild and strong. Still I, a lonely child, desired A thousand summers long.
You'd not accept my mortal hand And warned me stay away, But my passion spurned the land For we were in the fray Twined into one, already lost And gently drawn along. I swore I'd go, and pay the cost A thousand summers long.
I found a ship; I meant to seek The golden evening tree That bears the burning apples of Immortality; For I had heard, the legends tell Of youth's eternal song, And of its curse that follows then A thousand summers long.
Led by stars, and tossed by waves Where you below did sleep, For you knew not my purposed heart As fixed as mountains deep. To where the sun did touch the sea There we came headlong, And in my youthful heart I dreamed Of thousand summers long.
At last I stood on rosy ground Lit by the setting sun And plucked the fruit, though I admit I hesitated once. Its fiery pulp burned into me And scorched my mind and tongue And something deep inside me turned A thousand summers long.
Then sailing home, the rain did come And in the storm we fought; Then dashed our fragile ship on stones; Was this the curse I brought? Though by a hair the rest escaped, My need I'd not prolong, And so I slipped into your arms A thousand summers long.
Your fathomless and turning depths About my head enclosed, Your fishlike hands upraised my head And bore me back alone. Upon the shore, I kissed your lips And there beneath the dawn, We swore an oath of endless love A thousand summers long.
But nights grow old, and moons grow pale, Though each year was sweet; And waves draw back and leave the shore All barren in the heat. Not yet a hundred years and then-- Though my roots were strong-- Your fickle waters would not stay A thousand summers long.
I touched the waves; I rose to go; I left you in the deep. But twisting cold, and tossing slow As oceans in my sleep, Each outworn shell, and notched bone Reminds me of my wrong. But can I rue the seeds I've sown A thousand summers long?
For it was worth your liquid touch And nights we reached above And stretched a mortal hand to brush The asymptote of love. For I'd not change my choice of you Though grief is old and strong, I'd not give up the pain you've left A thousand summers long.
And to break my solemn oath Would be a perjury, For though your promise proved a lie Mine true shall always be. Though old the earth, and old the sun And circling days are long, The nights I treasure what I've lost A thousand summers long.
Though I am old with wandering I am as young as tears And in my youth, I now realize The curse of thousand years. But still I wait for your return And listen for your song, For I would live it all again A thousand summers long.
