IT'S KNOWING
THAT YOUR DOOR
IS ALWAYS OPEN
AND YOUR PATH IS FREE
TO WALK
THAT MAKES ME
TEND TO LEAVE
MY SLEEPING BAG
ROLLED UP
AND STASHED
BEHIND YOUR COUCH
AND IT'S KNOWING
I'M NOT SHACKLED BY
FORGOTTEN WORDS
AND BONDS
AND THE INK STAINS
THAT HAVE DRIED UPON
SOME LINE
THAT KEEPS YOU
IN THE BACKROADS
BY THE RIVERS
OF MY MEMORY
THAT KEEPS YOU EVER
GENTLE ON MY MIND
IT'S NOT CLINGING
TO THE ROCKS AND IVY
PLANTED ON
THEIR COLUMNS NOW
THAT BIND ME
OR SOMETHING THAT
SOMEBODY SAID
BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT
WE FIT TOGETHER
WALKING
IT'S JUST KNOWING
THAT THE WORLD
WILL NOT BE CURSING
OR FORGIVING
WHEN I WALK ALONG
SOME RAILROAD TRACK
AND FIND
THAT YOU'RE MOVING ON
THE BACKROADS
BY THE RIVERS
OF MY MEMORY
AND FOR HOURS
YOU'RE JUST
GENTLE ON MY MIND
THOUGH THE
WHEAT FIELDS
AND THE CLOTHES LINES
AND THE JUNKYARDS
AND THE HIGHWAYS
COME BETWEEN US
AND SOME OTHER
WOMAN'S CRYING
TO HER MOTHER
'CAUSE SHE TURNED
AND I WAS GONE
I STILL MIGHT
RUN IN SILENCE
TEARS OF JOY
MIGHT STAIN MY FACE
AND THE SUMMER SUN
MIGHT BURN ME
'TIL I'M BLIND
BUT NOT TO WHERE
I CANNOT SEE YOU
WALKIN' ON
THE BACKROADS
BY THE RIVERS FLOWING
GENTLE ON MY MIND
I DIP MY CUP OF SOUP
BACK FROM THE
GURGLIN' CRACKLIN'
CAULDRON IN SOME
TRAIN YARD
MY BEARD
A ROUGHENING
COAL PILE
AND A DIRTY HAT
PULLED LOW
ACROSS MY FACE
THROUGH CUPPED HANDS
'ROUND A TIN CAN
I PRETEND I HOLD YOU
TO MY BREAST
AND FIND
THAT YOU'RE WAITIN'
FROM THE BACKROADS
BY THE RIVERS
OF MY MEMORY
EVER SMILIN' EVER
GENTLE ON MY MIND