I'm standin' in the doorway My head bowed in my hands Not knowin' where to sit Not knowin' where to stand My father looms above me For him there is no rest My mother's arms enfold me And hold me to her breast They say you been out wandrin' They say you travelled far Sit down young stranger And tell us who you are
The room has all gone misty, my thoughts are all in spin Sit down young stranger and tell us where you been
I've been up to the mountain I've walked down by the sea I never questioned no one And no one questioned me My love was given freely And oftimes was returned I never came to borrow I only came to learn
Sometimes it would get lonely But it taught me how to cry And laughter came too easy For life to pass me by I never had a dollar That I didn't earn with pride Cause I had a million daydreams To keep me satisfied
And will you gather daydreams Or will you gather wealth How can you find your fortune When you cannot find yourself My mother's eyes grow misty There's a tremblin' in her hand Sit down young stranger I do not understand
Now will you try to tell us You been too long at school That knowledge is not needed That power does not rule That war is not the answer That young men should not die Sit down young stranger I wait for your reply
The answer is not easy For souls are not reborn To wear the crown of peace You must wear the crown of thorns If Jesus had a reason I'm sure he would not tell We treated him so badly How could he wish us well
The parlor now is empty There's nothin' left to say My father has departed My mother's gone to pray There's rockets in the meadows And ships out on the sea The answer's in the forest Carved upon a tree