I looked out across 
The river today, 
I saw a city in the fog and an old church tower 
Where the seagulls play. 
I saw the sad shire horses walking home 
In the sodium light 
I saw two priests on the ferry 
October geese on a cold winter's night 
And all this time, the river flowed 
Endlessly to the sea. 
Two priests came round our house tonight 
One young, one old, to offer prayers for the dying 
To serve the final rite, 
One to learn, one to teach, 
Which way the cold wind blows 
Fussing and flapping in priestly black 
Like a murder of crows 
And all this time, the river flowed 
Endlessly to the sea 
If I had my way I'd take a boat from the river 
And I'd bury the old man, 
I'd bury him at sea 
Blessed are the poor, for they shall inherit the earth 
Better to be poor than a fat man in the eye of a needle 
And as these words were spoken I swear I hear 
The old man laughing, 
'What good is a used up world, and how could it be 
worth having' 
And all this time the river flowed 
Endlessly like a silent tear 
And all this time the river flowed 
Father, if Jesus exists, 
Then how come he never lived here. 
The teacher told us, the Romans built this place 
They built a wall and a temple, an edge of the empire 
Garrison town, 
They lived and they died, they prayed to their gods 
But the stone gods did not make a sound 
And their empire crumbled, 'til all that was left 
Were the stones the workmen found 
And all this time the river flowed 
In the falling light of a northern sun 
If I had my way I'd take a boat from the river 
Men go crazy in congregations 
But they only get better 
One