Leonard Cohen — Before the Story

and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself. -- II SAMUEL Far from the roof, the child, Absalom, is storming through the shadows of the throne, pausing in the dark to smoothe his scarlet hair. And we are lying beneath the thrones Far from the roof, the king, David, begins the ageless psalm which rings through caves and tears the cobwebs from the sleeper's face. And we are lying beneath the caves Far from the roof, the woman, oh the girl, Bathsheba, bares her dripping shoulders in a secret room, far from any lover, far from any man. And we are lying beneath the castles O far from any roof, we are lying beneath the castles, among deep branches of silver, and the wilderness moon lives above the whole world, and in her light holds us, holds us, cold and splendid, in her vast and cloudless night.