( Leonard Cohen )



The door it opened slowly, 

My father he came in, 

I was nine years old. 

And he stood so tall above me, 

His blue eyes they were shining 

And his voice was very cold. 

He said, "i've had a vision 

And you know I'm strong and holy, 

I must do what i've been told." 

So he started up the mountain, 

I was running, he was walking, 

And his axe was made of gold. 

Well, the trees they got much smaller, 

The lake a lady's mirror, 

We stopped to drink some wine. 

Then he threw the bottle over. 

Broke a minute later 

And he put his hand on mine. 

Thought I saw an eagle 

But it might have been a vulture, 

I never could decide. 

Then my father built an altar, 

He looked once behind his shoulder, 

He knew I would not hide. 



You who build these altars now 

To sacrifice these children, 

You must not do it anymore. 

A scheme is not a vision 

And you never have been tempted 

By a demon or a god. 

You who stand above them now, 

Your hatchets blunt and bloody, 

You were not there before, 

When I lay upon a mountain 

And my father's hand was trembling 

With the beauty of the word. 



And if you call me brother now, 

Forgive me if I inquire, 

"Just according to whose plan?" 

When it all comes down to dust 

I will kill you if I must, 

I will help you if I can. 

When it all comes down to dust 

I will help you if I must, 

I will kill you if I can. 

And mercy on our uniform, 

Man of peace or man of war, 

The peacock spreads his fan.