The Riverbank

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Frightened by the tone of a phone in the dead of night

Then staring into darkness and praying till the morning light

The price already paid, a son gone to the grave

Now the sorrowful parade to the riverbank

Must be half the county come down to the riverbank

High school is closed, same for the local police

Shall we tearfully embrace, shall we sing “Amazing Grace”

Will the shallow river waters bring us peace

Army dude, only son, nowhere to run

No one to turn to, he turns to the gun

It’s a cross, it’s a stone, it’s a fragment of bone

It’s a long walk home

A long walk home

Gonna be a long walk home

From the riverbank

Is there any reason why the black pine should not weep

Is there a woman or a man who wouldn’t understand why he could not sleep

And the nightmares when they came, like poison to the brain

Reminded him again life is cheap

Army dude, only son, nowhere to run

No one to turn to, he turns to the gun

It’s a cross, it’s a stone, it’s a fragment of bone

It’s a long walk home

A long walk home

Gonna be a long walk home

From the riverbank

Army dude’s mama at the edge of the river

Limp as a rag, American flag in her arms

Then a triangle of light kissed the red and blue and white

Along the riverbank, past the dealerships and farms

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