long as the river rolls is there to remind us

long as the river rolls is there to remind us
clear your mind of mountains behind us
have respect for the strait ahead

crackling sounds of what burns around
firecrackers, bonfires, guns of the world
subtraction equals addition
eliminate addiction
so long as the river rolls
whether or not we're here to sense it

what's the use of fighting boulders midstream
flow around them and live the dream
boulders can't but by backhoes be moved
industrial de-evolution made nuts of the screwed
what is put on paper is merely water vapor
so long as the river rolls

the future belongs to the youth of nations
rivers roll in every land and language
it babbles all the way home
if we hear what commentators say
but if we listen to what's in our hearts
feel the hunger in our veins
the river's tributaries are powerful trains

be wise and organize yourselves
our problems singulary none repaired
the river carries pollutants away to oceans of distain
and the river always flows
whether we sense it or not, the same

11-2-13