[Verse 1] I met a woman long ago Her hair the black that black can go Are you a teacher of the heart? Soft, she answered no [Verse 2] I met a girl across the sea Her hair the gold that gold can be Are you a teacher of the heart? Yes, but not for thee [Verse 3] I met a man who lost his mind In some lost place I had to find "Follow me," the wise man said But he walked behind [Verse 4] I walked into a hospital Where none was sick and none was well When at night the nurses left I could not walk at all [Verse 5] Morning came and then came noon Dinner time a scalpel blade Lay beside my silver spoon [Verse 6] Some girls wander by mistake Into the mess that scalpels make Are you the teachers of my heart? We teach old hearts to break [Verse 7] One morning I woke up alone The hospital and the nurses gone Have I carved enough my Lord? Child, you are a bone [Verse 8] I ate and ate and ate No, I did not miss a plate, well How much do these suppers cost? We'll take it out in hate [Verse 9] I spent my hatred everyplace On every work, on every face Someone gave me wishes And I wished for an embrace [Verse 10] Several girls embraced me, then I was embraced by men Is my passion perfect? No, do it once again [Verse 11] I was handsome, I was strong I knew the words of every song Did my singing please you? No, the words you sang were wrong [Verse 12] Who is it whom I address? Who takes down what I confess? Are you the teachers of my heart? We teach old hearts to rest [Verse 13] Oh teachers, are my lessons done? I cannot do another one They laughed and laughed and said, Well child Are your lessons done? Are your lessons done? Are your lessons done?