BY THE RIVERS DARK

By the rivers dark

I wandered on

I lived my life

in Babylon

 

and I did forget

my holy song

and I had no strength

in Babylon

 

by the rivers dark

where I could not see

who was waiting there

who was hunting me

 

and he cut my lip

and he cut my heart

so I could not drink

from the river dark

 

and he covered me

and I saw within

my lawless heart

and my wedding ring

 

I did not know

and I could not see

who was waiting there

who was hunting me

 

by the rivers dark

I panicked on

I belonged at last

to Babylon

then he struck my heart

with a deadly force

and he said,“This heart

it is not yours.”

 

and he gave the wind

my wedding ring

and he circled me

with everything

 

by the rivers dark

in a wounded dawn

I live my life

in Babylon

 

tho' I take my song

from a withered limb

both song and tree

they sing for him

 

be the truth unsaid

and the blessing gone

if I forget

my Babylon

 

I did not know

and I could not see

who was waiting there

who was hunting me

 

by the rivers dark

where it all goes on

by the rivers dark

in Babylon