Tune full step down I went down to the place Where my mother lay waiting Under the marble and the snow I said: "Mother I'm frightened The thunder, the lightning I'll never come through this alone" She said: "I'll be with you My shawl wrapped around you My hand on your head when you go" And the night comes on And it's very calm I want that night to go on and on But she said: "Go back, back to the world" We were fighting in Egypt When they signed this agreement Nobody else had to die There was this terrible sound And my father went down With a terrible wound in his side He said: "Try to go on Take my books, take my gun and Remember, my son, how they lied" And the night comes on And it's very calm I'd like to pretend that my father was wrong But you don't wanna lie, not to the young We were locked in this kitchen I took to religion And I wondered how long she would stay I needed so much To have nothing to touch I've always been greedy that way But my son, my daughter Climbed out of the water Crying: "papa, you promised to play!" And they lead me away To the great surprise It's papa, don't peek, papa, cover your eyes And they hide, hide in the world Now I look for her always I'm lost in this calling I'm tied to the threads of a prayer Saying: "when will she summon me When will she come to me A What must I do to prepare When she bends to my longing Like a willow, like a fountain She stands in the luminous air" And the night comes on And it's very calm I lie in her arms she says: "When I'm gone I'll be yours, yours for a song" Now the crickets are singing The vesper bells ringing Cats curled asleep in chairs I'll go down to Bill's bar Or I can make it that far And I'll see if my friends are still there And here's to the few Who forgive what you do And the fewer who don't even care And the night comes on And it's very calm I want to cross over, I want to go home But she says, go back, go back to the world I went down to the place Where my mother lay waiting Under the marble and the snow I said: "Mother I'm frightened The thunder, the lightning I'll never come through this alone" She said: "I'll be with you My shawl wrapped around you My hand on your head when you go" And the night comes on And it's very calm I want to cross over, I want to go home But she said: "Go back, back to the world"