A man sticks his fingers inside of his mouth

The words are stuck in there

He fishes them out

Whispers and mumbles, statements and verse, curses and love songs

For nobody else



Man takes a pencil and puts down his thoughts

The old human highway from Eden to Nod

Brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, strangers and cripples 

In love with their lives



How they dance 

In a trance 

Where the river bends 

Here we go, 

Don't you know

That it never ends

Some who ride

Some who slide

Everyone you know

Travels on 

That great western road 



How they laugh

Raise a glass

Take a bottle down 

Any face any place 

In this northern town

Dragging on 

………………………………………

Travel on

That great western road



Man goes to show world

And dreams of the stars

He leans to the left

He leans to the north

He learns to be humble

He learns from the trees

And all of God's creatures

To him they would speak

Saying wake up my little lambs

Wake up it's time to begin

Wake up it's all that you are

Wake up and it's not very far



Beggar-man soldier-man beggar-man and thief

Some are young

Some are old

And some on their knees

Broken legs broken nose

Swaying to and fro

As they walk

The great western road



Every snake

Every bird

Every creeping thing

Like a knife

In the night 

I see her again

Blessed heart

Blessed word

Blessed skin and bones 

All along 

That great western road