Josh Ritter - Lantern Lyrics

Be the light of my lantern, the light of my lantern, be the light
Be the light of my lantern, the light of my lantern, tonight
Be the light of my lantern, the light of my lantern, be the light
I need light in my lantern, light in my lantern, tonight

It's a hungry world out there
Even the wind will take a bite
I can feel the world circling
Sniffing round me in the night
And the lost sheep grow teeth
Forsake the lambs and lie with the lions

And the living is desperate
Precarious and mean
And getting by is so hard
That even the rocks are picked clean
And the bones of small contention
Are the only food the hungry find

I'll need light for my lantern, light for my lantern tonight
Light in my lantern, light in my lantern tonight

Where the thistles eat the thorns
And the roses have no chance
And it ain't no wonder that the babies
Come out crying in advance
And the children look for shelter
In the hollow of some lonesome cheek

And the sky's so cold and clear
The stars might stick you where you stand
And you're only glad it's dark 'cause
You might see the master's hand
You might cast around forever
And never find the peace you seek

I need light for my lantern, light for my lantern tonight
Be the light in my lantern, the light of my lantern tonight

For every cry in the night
Somebody says, have faith
Be content inside your questions
Minotaurs inside a maze
Tell me what's the point of light
That you have to strike a match to find?

So throw away those lamentations
We both know them all too well
If there's a book of Jubilations
We'll have to write it for ourselves
So come and lie beside me darling
And let's write it while we still got time

So if you got a light, hold it high for me
I need it bad tonight, hold it high for me
Cause I'm face to face, hold it high for me
In that lonesome place, hold it high for me
With all the hurt that I've done, hold it high for me
That can't be undone, hold it high for me
Light and guide me through, hold it high for me
I'll do the same for you, hold it high for me

I'll hold it high for you, 'cause I know you've got
I'll hold it high for you, your own valley to walk
I'll hold it high for you, though it's dark as death
I'll hold it high for you, and then gets darker yet
I'll hold it high for you, though your path seems lost
I'll hold it high for you, through the thieves and rocks
I'll hold it high for you, keep you safe from harm
I'll hold it high for you, until you're back in my arms

Be the light of my lantern, the light of my lantern, tonight
Be the light of my lantern, the light of my lantern, tonight
Be the light of my lantern, the light of my lantern, tonight
Be the light of my lantern, the light of my lantern, tonight