Emmylou Harris Ballard Of A Runaway Horse lyrics

Ballard Of A Runaway Horse by Emmylou Harris

Ballard Of A Runaway Horse lyrics
(Leonard Cohen)

Say a prayer for the cowgirl her horse ran away 
She'll walk 'til she finds him her darlin' her stray 
But the river's in flood and the roads are awash 
And the bridges break up in the panic of loss 

And there's nothin' to follow nowhere to go 
He's gone like the summer gone like the snow 
And the crickets are breaking her heart with their song 
As the day caves in and the night is all wrong 

Did she dream it was he who went galloping past 
And bent down the fern broke open the grass 
And printed the mud with the well-hammered shoe 
That she nailed to his speed in the dreams of her youth 

And although he goes grazin' a minute away 
She tracks him all night she tracks him all day 
And she's blind to his presence except to compare 
Her injury here with his punishment there 

Then at home on a branch on a high stream 
A songbird sings out so suddenly 
And the sun is warm and the soft winds ride 
On a willow tree by the riverside 

An  the world is sweet and world is wide 
And he's there where the light and the darkness divide 
And the steam's comin' off him he's huge and he's shy 
And he steps on the moon when he paws at the sky 

And he comes to her hand but he's nor really tame 
He longs to be lost she longs for the same 
And he'll bolt and he'll plunge thru the first open pass 
To roll and to feed in the sweet mountain grass 

Or he'll make a break for the high plateau 
Where there's nothing above and noting below 
It's time for their burden the whip and the spur 
Will she ride with him or will he ride with her 

So she binds herself to her galloping steed 
And he binds himself to the woman in need 
And there is no space just left and right 
And there is no time but there is day and night 

Then she learns on his neck and whispers low 
Whither thou goest I will go 
And they turn as one the head for the plain 
No need for the whip oh no need for the rain 

Now the clasp of this union who fastens it tight 
Who snaps it asunder the very next night 
Some say it's him some say it's her 
Some say love's like smoke beyond all repair 

So my darlin' my darlin' just let go by 
That old silhouette on the great western sky 
And I'll pick out a tune and they'll move right along 
And they're gone like smoke and they're gone like this song 

Say a prayer for the cowgirl