Leonard Cohen
The Asthmatic (Live)
Because you will not overthrow your life
You cannot breathe
Because of the panic of homelessness
You cannot breathe
Because you have begun to worship time
You cannot breathe
Because you will never have the beautiful one
You cannot breathe
Because you will not sail into the small harbour and enter the village
You cannot breathe
Because your sorrow will not rеturn to its birthplace
You cannot breathe
Bеcause you believe you were not meant to be so far away
You cannot breathe
Because this is the valley of the shadow of death
You cannot breathe
The boat has brought you here
The butterfly has sealed your escape
Because you cannot be here
You cannot breathe
The butterfly smashed into a silver tray
And sealed your escape
Like a stone rolled into a tunnel
You cannot breathe
Because you do not know what is coming
You cannot breathe
Because this world is yours and it is not yours
You cannot breathe
Because you rest, because you strive, because you do not work
You cannot breathe
Because you let the world come between you and me
You cannot breathe
Because of an idea of the calm breath
You cannot breathe
Here they have orange and lemon trees
Here there are baths of mineral waters
Because you want to choose a way
Because you find the language to welcome me
The sun is sparkling all over the blue water
The stony shore is laved by the sea
Yellow curtains are sucked against the portholes
The propeller wants everyone to go to sleep
You separate yourself from an unknown woman in a green sweater
Because of your love of conquering
You cannot breathe
Because you will not address me as an equal
Because you have commanded the guards
To shut down the doors and take away breathing
Because the world is stamped with order
Like a seal in formless wax
Because you have a God of justice
Because the justice is immediate and flawless
You cannot breathe
Because you cannot uphold your separation
Because your strangerhood is defeated
Because you breathe your breath through the mask of purity
Because you consign to the pale of objectivity
Her green sweater, the flashing islands, your distance from love
And your whole breathless predicament
You cannot breathe