Douglas Traherne Harding - Incredible String Band

When I was born I had no head

My eye was single and my body was filled with light

And the light that I was was the light that I saw by

And the light that I saw by was the light that I was

One light, light that is one though the lamps be many

And many’s the time that I’ve crossed by the river

And I saw no tollman and I needed no ferryman to cross

And I enjoyed the world aright

For the sea itself floweth

And warm I was and crowned

But one day walking towards the river

I saw a tollman with an angry face

And many’s the time I passed his tollgate

And paid no silver and paid no fee

But rather I did hide my sheep and goats under the bags of oatmeal

And cold I was, no crown did I wear

But if you’re walking down the street

Why don’t you look down to the basement

For sitting very quietly there is a man who has no head

His eye is single and his whole body also is filled with light

One light, light that is one though the lamps be many

And as he sits there so he will walk all among you

And the streets are his and all the people

And even the temples and the whole world

And many’s the time that he walks to the river

And seeing the tollman and seeing the ferryman

The light within him leaps to greet them

For he sees that their faces are none but his own

One light, light that is one though the lamps be many

You never enjoy the world aright

«Till the sea itself floweth

In your veins till you are clothed

With the heavens and crowned with the stars»