JOURNEYS

by Eric Bogle (from the CD, Endangered Species, 2000 Greentrax Recordings)

1. How clear the river runs
Beneath the noon-day sun
Through the trees it twists and turns
In light and shade
In the summer's warm embrace
Nature flaunts her bonny face
A more green and peaceful place
God never made
On the bank of the river I stand
My father's ashes in my hand
I'm there at his command
One promise left to keep
Though in my mind the past appears
A sad parade of wasted years
Grief and guilt both fuel the tears
At last I weep

2. And there's anger in my heart
It's bitter, deep and dark
But for whom or for what
It's hard to tell
Is it for blind uncaring fate
That built bridges far too late?
For his life, for his escape
or for myself?
But who the hell am I
His life to discount or deny
To say what made him laugh or cry
Or brought him pain or joy?
Early strangers we became
And strangers we remained
The man who made his pride his chains
And the sullen boy.

3. But this song's been too often sung
For what's done is long done
There's little comfort to be wrung
From a past bled dry
He was what he was made
The cards he was dealt, he played
With as much choice in this charade
As you or I
Without joy, there is no grief
Without hope, there's no belief
Without love, Death's just a thief
Who steals nothing more than time
So with love I scatter him
To the water and the wind
Two new journeys now begin
His and mine.




rich r