As I sat sadly by her side

Nick Cave and the bad seeds

As I sat sadly by her side
 At the window, through the glass
 She stroked a kitten in her lap
 And we watched the world as it fell past
 Softly she spoke these words to me
 And with brand new eyes, open wide
 We pressed our faces to the glass
 As I sat sadly by her side

She said, "Father, mother, sister, brother,
 Uncle, aunt, nephew, niece,
 Soldier, sailor, physician, labourer,
 Actor, scientist, mechanic, priest
 Earth and moon and sun and stars
 Planets and comets with tails blazing
 All are there forever falling
 Falling lovely and amazing"

Then she smiled and turned to me
 And waited for me to reply
 Her hair was falling down her shoulders
 As I sat sadly by her side

As I sat sadly by her side
 The kitten she did gently pass
 Over to me and again we pressed
 Our indifferent faces to the glass
 "That may be very well", I said
 "But watch the one falling in the street
 See him gesture to his neighbours
 See him trampled beneath their feet
 All outward motion connects to nothing
 For each is concerned with their immediate need
 Witness the man reaching up from the gutter
 See the other one stumbling on who can not see"

With trembling hand I turned toward her
 And pushed the hair out of her eyes
 The kitten jumped back to her lap
 As I sat sadly by her side

Then she drew the curtains down
 And said, "When will you ever learn
 That what happens there beyond the glass
 Is simply none of your concern?
 God has given you but one heart
 You are not a home for the hearts of your brothers

And God don't care for your benevolence
 Anymore than he cares for the lack of it in others
 Nor does he care for you to sit
 At windows in judgement of the world He created
 While sorrows pile up around you
 Ugly, useless and over-inflated"

At which she turned her head away
 Great tears leaping from her eyes
 I could not wipe the smile from my face
 As I sat sadly by her side