Can't Wait

My Theory: The song, like so many of Dylan's works, has at least two meanings. The obvious meaning is about a desire for a lover that has left to return.

The deeper meaning, I believe, is about Dylan's desire to see God (either through death or through the return of the Messiah). He struggles to "walk the line" between morality and sin. Facing death, he "stands at the gate" "breathing hard", filled with a mixture of fear and desire for God. "If I ever saw you coming I don't know what I would do. I'd like to think I could control myself, but it isn't true." Sure, this could apply to a man's reaction to a woman he loves, but it could equally apply to a man overwhelmed by the presence of God.

"I left my life with you somewhere back there along the line." This phrase is especially interesting to me. What does "living along the line" mean? It is used in several of Dylan's songs. Most recently, it was used in his song Thunder on the Mountain to refer to the year corresponding with his Christian period ("I was thinkin' 'bout Alicia Keys, couldn't keep from crying. When she was born in Hell's Kitchen, I was living down the line"). Interesting that in this song he uses the phrase to indicate a time when he left his life. Could it be he is meaning he left his old life and gave life to Christ.

this song is totally about his ex-wife sara, and how he has never really gotten over her. there are direct connections to "sad eyed lady of the lowlands" (...should i leave them by your gate...or sad eyed lady should i wait?" also...'sara": "sara, oh sara, whatever made you want to chang your mind?" "can't wait": can't wait, wait for you to change your mind" and 'i'm breathing hard..standing at the gate....don't know how much longer i can wait." also...."i'm trying to recover the sweet love that we knew." and "oh honey..after all these years you're still the one". i think after all these years he is still madly in love with sara and will go to his grave loving her! sigh!!!!