The Gospel of Mary
WE LEFT OUR HOME BY DARK OF NIGHT
JOSEPH AND MY BOY AND I
WHEN ALL THE GUNMEN WERE ASLEEP
WE SLIPPED INTO THE FOREST
WE LEFT EVERYTHING BEHIND
JOSEPH AND MY BOY AND I
ALL THAT WE TOOK WAS OUR LIVES
AND THE HOPES THEY WOULD NOT FIND US
WE LIVED ON ROOTS AND THE BARK OF TREES
JOSEPH AND MY BOY AND ME
AND DRANK THE WATER FROM THE STREAM
AND HOPED IT WOULD NOT KILL US
WE SAID OUR PRAYERS WE BROKE OUR BREAD
WITH OTHERS WHO HAD EVEN LESS
TIL FINALLY ALL WE HAD WERE DREAMS
AND WE HOPED THAT THEY WOULD FILL US
A MAN OFFERED A CHANGE OF LUCK
ALL WE HAD FOR A CARGO TRUCK
WITH FIFTY OTHERS IN THE BACK
THEY CLOSED THE DOOR BEHIND US
IT GOT SO HOT WE COULD NOT BREATHE
JOSEPH AND MY BOY AND ME
WHEN WE ARRIVED THE SKY WAS BLACK
THAT'S WHERE I BURIED JOSEPH
THE RIVER STOLE AWAY MY SHOES
THE SOLES OF BOTH MY FEET WERE BRUISED
MY BOY LAY QUIET IN MY ARMS
HIS DREAMS WERE DEEP AND SOUNDLESS
THE DAY WAS LONG THE SUN WAS HIGH
A HAMMER ON AN ANVIL SKY
BY THE WALL I FELL AND CRIED
FOR DEATH WAS ALL AROUND US
YOU FOUND US THERE WHERE I HAD SLIPPED
PUT HANDCUFFS TIGHT AROUND MY WRISTS
PUT SHACKLES TIGHT AROUND MY LEGS
AS IF I COULD ESCAPE YOU
AND SINCE I COULD NOT HOLD MY BABE
YOU TOOK MY ONLY BOY AWAY
AND THOUGH I PLEAD AND THOUGH I BEG
YOU WON'T SAY WHERE HE'S GONE TO
I'M TIRED NOW MY EYES ARE DRY
THERE'S ONLY ME ALONE TONIGHT
IN A LAND I THOUGHT WOULD BE
OURS IF WE COULD MAKE IT
A LAND THAT TOOK THE STRANGER IN
A LAND BECKONED LIKE A FRIEND
BUT IF I HAD THE CHANCE AGAIN
DON'T KNOW IF I'D TAKE IT
THE HOLY FAMILY GOT AWAY
IN A SIMPLER TIME AND PLACE
AND EGYPT STRETCHED OUT IT'S GREAT HAND
AND LET THEM IN WITH MERCY
NOW JOSEPH'S DEAD OUT ON THE ROAD
MY SON IS GONE AND I DON'T KNOW
WHERE HE IS AND WHERE I'LL GO
WITH EVERY BREATH IT HURTS ME
AND YOU WHO STOOD AT YOUR GREAT GATES
AND WATCHED US AS WE MET OUR FATES
THEN TOOK OUR PRIDE AND STOLE OUR BABES
YOU WILL ALSO DIE OF SOMETHING
BUT AS YOU REST YOUR WEARY HEAD
YOUR FAMILY CLOSE AROUND YOUR BED
MAY YOUR THOUGHTS ALL FLY INSTEAD
TO THE ONES WHO YOU GAVE NOTHING
THE NAKED ONE THE STARVING CHILD
WHO'D CRAWLED THE FINAL BRUTAL MILES
THROUGH BLOOD AND FILTH AND ROCK AND WILD
IN THE HOPES OF ONLY LIVIN
MAY THEIR PAIN WITHIN YOU DWELL
AND MAY IT FOLLOW YOU TO HELL
ALL ALONE IN A TINY CELL
FOREVER UNFORGIVEN