[Susan McLean]

John, you surprise me about the lines you question:

How many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?

It doesn't take much familiarity with the Bible to see a connection to the story of Noah and the Ark, in which Noah sent out a dove to see if the waters had receded from the land. The first time it returned because it had nowhere to land. The second time it returned with an olive branch in its mouth. The third time it did not return. The dove in that story seems pretty clearly connected to the hope for a better future, with the ability to sleep in the sand representing both peace and safety. I think the lines are evocative even for someone who does not know the biblical story, but the allusion adds a lot of depth. It is the ability of Dylan to link to symbolic levels and reference other literature that lifts his lyrics way above most popular song lyrics (and I say that as someone who values lyrics of many current songwriters).

Susan