The Landlord - Johnny Flynn

I met the landlord, I kept my soul,

And in of a man he was ashen and coal

Spoke quick, confusing, burdened me up

Left me for hollow when he’d had his sup

I bore all his load til the day that we met

And one glimpse of you bent the load from my fret

To my frown, to my stern, and then rocking me by

And a game and a cheer, on the earth, in the sky

So said I to the landlord

I’ll not see thee here

And I’ll wait for his answer

Til the load wasn’t there and it never had been

And all was before was so distant a dream

Til I saw in my friend what had once been my foe

And the terrible landlord had all in his tow

In his wake and the call of his burning black ship

And the wind it was blown from his proud blackened lips

And I with my bellows cast clouds through the sky

So that his awful flames, they might moisten and die.

And then I with a light shone on that which was there

As in light I did nothing, as in days I did fare

And so days in my ear and days all around

Proving death to the landlord and all he abounds

And the night she shone too until all that was now

Had been hoisted for viewing in all of the crowd

I was glad in the light that crept twixt new and old

And then polished with all, and so tender so bold

So said I to the landlord

I’ll not see thee here

And I’ll wait for his answer

So meek in that moment, thee in error til all

Of my friends and their friends saw in joy their loads fall

They fell in they fell out they fell near they fell far

They gave all in a shout and put all to the stars

Lifting them as one load, such a burdensome thing

Troubling nothing that lives now, no and nothing it seems

Nothing that dances, nothing that’s moved

In the old spinning circle of all that we proved

So said I to the landlord

I’ll not see thee here

And I’ll wait for his answer

So said I to the landlord

I’ll not see thee here

And I’ll wait for his answer

Though I’ve waited for years.