Take This Longing Lyrics - Essential Leonard Cohen - Leonard Cohen

Many men have loved the bells 

You fastened to the rein 

And everyone who wanted you 

They found what they will always want again 

Your beauty lost to you yourself 

Just as it was lost to them 

Oh, take this longing from my tongue 

Whatever useless things these hands have done 

Let me see your beauty broken down 

Like you would do for one you love 

Your body like a searchlight 

My poverty revealed 

I would like to try your charity 

Until you cry, "now you must try my greed" 

And everything depends upon 

How near you sleep to me 

Just take this longing from my tongue 

All the lonely things my hands have done 

Let me see your beauty broken down 

Like you would do for one your love 

Hungry as an archway 

Through which the troops have passed 

I stand in ruins behind you 

With your winter clothes, your broken sandal straps 

I love to see you naked over there 

Especially from the back 

Oh, take this longing from my tongue 

All the useless things my hands have done 

Untie for me your hired blue gown 

Like you would do for one that you love 

You're faithful to the better man 

I'm afraid that he left 

So let me judge your love affair 

In this very room where I have sentenced mine to death 

I'll even wear these old laurel leaves 

That he's shaken from his head 

Just take this longing from my tongue 

All the useless things my hands have done 

Let me see your beauty broken down 

Like you would do for one you love 

Like you would do for one you love