I met a woman long ago

Her hair the black that black can go

Are you a teacher of the heart

Soft she answered No.



I met a girl across the sea

Her hair the gold that gold can be

Are you a teacher of the heart

Yes but not for thee.



I met a man who lost his mind

In some lost place I had to find

Follow me the wise man said

But he walked behind.



I walked into a hospital

Where none was sick and none was well

When at night the nurses left

I could not walk at all.



Morning came

and then came noon

Dinner time the scalpel blade

Lay beside my silver spoon



Some girls wander by mistake

Into the mess that scalpels make

Are you the teachers of my heart

We teach old hearts to break.



One morning I woke up alone

The hospital, the nurses gone

Have I carved enough, my lord

Child, you are bone.



I ate and ate and ate,

No, I did not miss a plate

Well, how much do these suppers cost

We'll take it out in hate.



I spent my hatred every place

On every work on every face

Someone gave me wishes

And I wished for an embrace.



Several girls embraced me,

Then I was embraced by men

Is my passion perfect

No, do it once again.



I was handsome, I was strong

I knew the words of every song

Did my singing please you

No, the words you sang were wrong.



Who is it whom I address

Who takes down what I confess

Are you the teachers of my heart

We teach old hearts to rest.



Well, teachers are my lessons done

I cannot do another one

They laughed and laughed and said

Well, child are your lessons done.



Are your lessons done

Are your lessons done