when the last rose of summer
pricks my finger
and the hot sun chills
me to the bone
when I can't hear the song
for the singer
and I can't tell my pillow
from a stone

I will walk alone
by the black muddy river
and sing me
a song of my own

when the last bolt of sunshine
hits the mountain
and the stars start
to splatter in the sky
when the moon splits the
southwest horizon
with the scream of
an eagle on the fly

I will walk alone
by the black muddy river
and listen to the ripples
as they moan

black muddy river
roll on forever
I don't care how deep or wide
if you got another side
roll muddy river
black muddy river roll

when it seems like
the night will last forever
and there's nothing left
to do but count the years
when the strings of
my heart start to sever
and stones fall from
my eyes instead of tears

I will walk alone
by the black muddy river
and dream me
a dream of my own

I will walk alone
by the black muddy river
and sing me
a song of my own