T.L. Morrisey

Thursday, November 16, 2023

"Ain’t Talkin’" by Bob Dylan

 



As I walked out tonight in the mystic gardenThe wounded flowers were dangling from the vineI was passing by yon cool crystal fountainSomeone hit me from behind
Ain't talkin', just walkin'Through this weary world of woeHeart burnin', still yearnin'No one on earth would ever know
They say prayer has the power to healSo pray from the motherIn the human heart an evil spirit can dwellI am a-tryin' to love my neighbor and do good unto othersBut oh, mother, things ain't going well
Ain't talkin', just walkin'I'll burn that bridge before you can crossHeart burnin', still yearnin'There'll be no mercy for you once you've lost
Now I'm all worn down by weepingMy eyes are filled with tears, my lips are dryIf I catch my opponents ever sleepingI'll just slaughter 'em where they lie
Ain't talkin', just walkin'Through the world mysterious and vagueHeart burnin', still yearnin'Walkin' through the cities of the plague
Well, the whole world is filled with speculationThe whole wide world which people say is roundThey will tear your mind away from contemplationThey will jump on your misfortune when you're down
Ain't talkin', just walkin'Eatin' hog-eyed grease in a hog-eyed townHeart burnin', still yearnin'Some day you'll be glad to have me around
They will crush you with wealth and powerEvery waking moment you could crackI'll make the most of one last extra hourI'll avenge my father's death then I'll step back
Ain't talkin', just walkin'Hand me down my walkin' caneHeart burnin', still yearnin'Got to get you out of my miserable brain
All my loyal and my much-loved companionsThey approve of me and share my codeI practice a faith that's been long abandonedAin't no altars on this long and lonesome road
Ain't talkin', just walkin'My mule is sick, my horse is blindHeart burnin', still yearnin'Thinkin' 'bout that gal I left behind
Well, it's bright in the heavens and the wheels are flyin'Fame and honor never seem to fadeThe fire gone out but the light is never dyin'Who says I can't get heavenly aid?
Ain't talkin', just walkin'Carryin' a dead man's shieldHeart burnin', still yearnin'Walkin' with a toothache in my heel
The sufferin' is unendingEvery nook and cranny has its tearsI'm not playing, I'm not pretendingI'm not nursin' any superfluous fears
Ain't talkin', just walkin'Walkin' ever since the other nightHeart burnin', still yearnin'Walkin' 'til I'm clean out of sight
As I walked out in the mystic gardenOn a hot summer day, a hot summer lawnExcuse me, ma'am, I beg your pardonThere's no one here, the gardener is gone
Ain't talkin', just walkin'Up the road, around the bendHeart burnin', still yearnin'In the last outback at the world's end

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