Shelter from the Storm

'Twas in another lifetime, one of toil and blood When blackness was a virtue and the road was full of mud I came in from the wilderness, a creature void of form "Come in," she said, "I'll give you shelter from the storm" Not a word was spoke between us, there was no risk involved Everything up to that point had been left unresolved Try imagining a place where it's always safe and warm "Come in," she said, "I'll give you shelter from the storm" I was burned out from exhaustion, buried in the hail Poisoned in the bushes, blown out on the trail Hunted like a crocodile, ravaged in the corn "Come in," she said, "I'll give you shelter from the storm" Suddenly I turned around and she was standin' there With silver bracelets on her wrist and flowers in her hair She walked up to me so gracefully and took my crown of thorns "Come in," she said "I'll give you shelter from the storm" And the deputy walks on hard nails, preacher rides a mount Nothing really matters much, doom alone that counts And the one-eyed undertaker, he blows a futile horn "Come in," she said, "I'll give you shelter from the storm" In a little hilltop village, they gambled for my clothes I bargained for salvation, they gave me a lethal dose I offered up my innocence and got repaid with scorn "Come in," she said "I'll give you shelter from the storm" Now there's a wall between us, something else been lost I took too much for granted, got my signals crossed Just to think that it all began on an uneventful morn' "Come in," she said, "I'll give you shelter from the storm" I'm livin' in a foreign country but I'm bound to cross the line Beauty walks a razor's edge, someday I'll make her mine If I could only turn back the clock to when God and her were born "Come in," she said, "I'll give you shelter from the storm" --- Shelter from the Storm - Rodney Crowell