Sit Down Young Stranger

I'm standin' at the doorway My head bowed in my hands Not knowin' where to sit Not knowin' where I stand My father looms above me For him there is no rest My mothers arms enfold me And hold me to her breast They say you been out wanderin' They say you travelled far Sit down young stranger And tell us who you are The room has all gone misty My thoughts are all in spin Sit down young stranger And tell us where you been Well, I've been up to the mountain I've walked down by the sea I never questioned no one And no one questioned me My love was given freely And oftimes was returned I never came to borrow I only came to learn Sometimes it did get lonely But it taught me how to cry And laughter came too easy For life to pass me by I never had a dollar That I didn't earn with pride 'Cause I had a million daydreams To keep me satisfied And will you gather daydreams Or will you gather wealth How can you find your fortune When you cannot find yourself? My mothers eyes grow misty There's a tremblin' in her hand Sit down young stranger I do not understand And will you try and tell us You've been too long at school That knowledge is not needed That power does not rule That war is not the answer That young men should not die Sit down young stranger I wait for your reply The answer is not easy For souls are not reborn To wear the crown of peace You must wear the crown of thorns If Jesus, had a reason I'm sure He would not tell They treated Him so badly How could He wish them well The parlor now is empty There's nothin' left to say My father has departed My mothers gone to pray There's rockets in the meadows And ships out on the sea The answers in the forest Are carved upon a tree John loves Mary Does anyone love me? --- Sit Down Young Stranger - Gordon Lightfoot