Cassandra (Poem Version) Lyrics by Florence + the Machine
I used to see the future and now I see nothing
They cut out my eyes and sent me home packing
To pace around the kitchen for scraps of inspiration
Crying like Cassandra
I used to tell the future, but they cut out my tongue
And left me doing laundry to think on what I’ve done
It wasn’t me, it was the song
I used to move into the future and bring it all back
Let it bleed through my fingers, a treasure in my hands
Now I creep out when there’s no one about
‘Cause they put crosses on the doors to try and keep me out
The garden’s overgrown
And I run in the middle of the road
Well, can you see me?
I cannot see you
And everything I thought I knew has fallen out of view
In this blindness I’m condemned to
Well, can you hear me?
I cannot hear you
And every song I thought I knew, I’ve been deafened to
And there’s no one left to sing to
And all the gods have been domesticated
And Heaven is now overrated
And the churches, they all closed their doors
But you can take your complaints straight to the Lord
I try to still look with wonder on the world
As the roses bloom
And the riot van still plainly in view
Well, can you see me?
I cannot see you
And everything I thought I knew has fallen out of view
In this blindness I’m condemned to
Can you hear me?
I cannot hear you
And every song I thought I knew, I’ve been deafened to
And there’s no one left to sing to
Take me back
Oh, drunken gods of slaughter
You know I’ve always been your favorite daughter
Well, can you see me?
I cannot see you
And everything I thought I knew has fallen out of view
And if I run fast enough
Well, could I break apart
As empires tumble and cathedrals flatten in my heart?