River of Souls (with audio)

[Lightning Rod]

This is still a work in progress. Forgive the noisy recording. Click title to play.

River of Souls

I went down to the river, babe
it was lonely, it was cold
it was a moonlight ribbon
smelled of tears and mold

you know the night was silent
as the hushed wing of an owl
the darkness, kept its secrets
what was sweet, what was foul

the river it knew everything
what was asked and what was told
the river it knew everything
what was bought and what was sold
the river it knew everything
what was new and what was old

It must have been the river
the river of souls

way down in Casablanca
to the left bank of the Seine
the river it knew everything
what was crazy, what was sane
the river it knew everything
even things you can't explain

it must have been that river
must have been that river of souls

(Wider than the Amazon
Longer than the Nile
the river it knew everything
every frown and every smile
the river it knows everything
every folder, every file)

it must have been the river
must have been that river of souls

Stumble to the Trinity
The Mississippi old
the river it knows everything
The Colorado bold
the river it knows everything
the stories never told

it must have been the river
must have been that river of souls

[Non Sum]

Re: 'River of Souls'

I don't know about your "eyes," dude, you're wearing shades.
But, I'd say that your "words" go a hell of a long way towards making you a "poet" in my small book of acknowledged poets. I suppose, strictly speaking, these words are intended as lyrics? Is it the intended use that determines lyric from poem, do you know? I certainly don't. Either/or, what matters most (to moi) is if the word flow can pull me right into them. Standing here, toweling off the river water, I'd have to say in this case, 'it appears to have.'
From one old hippie to another, Thanks for sharing.
NS (Negligible Stream)

[Doreen Peri]

I listened... Nice song, Clay! Lots of echoes in it, yeah... but I thought that was what you intended. I enjoyed it!

Non Sum... click the link at the top of the lyrics to listen to the song. It's not a poem, it's a song.

[Lightning Rod]

Thank you NS
yes, writing lyrics is slightly different than writing poetry. I wrote this as a poem first and then adapted it for a lyric. I'm still making changes to it.

Doreen,
Yes, it is too full of echo. This was a quickie version that Robert and I worked up in a couple of hours. Very much a first draft.