Dan Fogelberg - The River lyrics

I was born by a river, rolling past a town

Given no direction, just told to keep my head down

As I took my position, a man fired a gun

I was so steeped in tradition I could not run

I was raised by a river, weaned upon the sky

And in the mirror of the waters I saw myself, learn to cry

As the tears hit the surface I saw what had been done

I gave feet to my freedom and I did run

Someday later I saw the writing in the dust

It told me how I should travel

It told me who I was

I ran far from the river, far as I could see

And as the sun hit my shoulders, I felt it burning me

How I long for the waters as the fire raged

How I long for the river as I aged

I will die by a river, as it rolls away

Bury me in the nighttime, do not waste the day

High above the waters that roll on to the sea

All the angels in heaven will laugh at me

They will laugh at me, they will laugh at me

They will laugh at me

My life was naught but a river rolling through my brain

Made of so many teardrops, made of so much pain