Love song to a stranger

Love song to a stranger
By Joan Baez

How long since I've spent a whole
night in a twin bed with a stranger
his warm arms all around me?
How long since I've gazed into
dark eyes that melted my soul down
to a place where it longs to be?
All of your history has little to do
with your face.
You're mainly a mystery with
violins filling in space.

You stood in the nude by the mirror
and picked out a rose
from the bouquet in our hotel.
And lay down beside me again, and I watched the rose
on the pillow as it fell.
I sank and I slept in a twilight with only one care
To know that when day broke and I woke
that you'd still be there, you'd still be there.

The hours, for once, they passed slowly, unendingly by
like a sweet breeze on a field.
Your gentleness came down upon me and I guess I thanked you
when you caused me to yield.
We spoke not a sentence and took not a footstep beyond
our two days together which seemingly soon would be gone,
soon would be gone.

Don't tell me of love everlasting and other sad dreams
I don't want to hear.
Just tell me of passionate strangers who rescue each other
from a lifetime of cares.
'Cause if love means forever, expecting nothing returned,
then I hope I'll be given another whole lifetime to learn.

'Cause you gave to me oh so many things it makes me wonder
how they could belong to me.
And I gave you only my dark eyes which melted your soul down
to a place where it longs to be.