The Flame: Poems, Notebooks, Lyrics, Drawings

by Leonard Cohen

I used to be your favourite drunk Good for one more laugh Then we both ran out of luck And luck was all we had You put on a uniform To fight the Civil War I tried to join but no one liked The side I’m fighting for So let’s drink to when it’s over And let’s drink to when we meet I’II be standing on this corner Where there used to be a street You left me with the dishes And a baby in the bath And you’re tight with the militias You wear their camouflage I guess that makes us equal But I want to march with you An extra in the sequel To the old red-white-and-blue So let’s drink to when it’s over And let’s drink to when we meet I’ll be standing on this corner Where there used to be a street I cried for you this morning And I’ll cry for you again But I’m not in charge of sorrow So please don’t ask me when I know the burden’s heavy As you bear it through the night Some people say it’s empty