Said the King To the River

Up, my lady, pack your things
This place is not your home, nor was it ever
Sever every tie
Tonight we ride, tonight we ride
Tonight we ride
And how we've trembled at the way that time assembles
Little fires of desire in the tundra of our skin
So, do yourself a little favor, savor every time you waver
For that shaking in my voice was only slightly feigned chagrin
Tonight we ride
Tonight we ride

Lover, uncover
I know it's warm beneath your sheets and there is ice along the streets but listen
Lover, we will recover
But we've no time to waste with meddling in affairs
We've locked so tightly in our dreams
We are not clean, we are not pure
We will not rest until we're sure
So rob your pretty little eyes of sleep's disguise
I'm at your bedside with a bucket full of lies
So clear your ears and listen
Up, my lady, pack your things
This place is not your home

And I know what is
And to the glorious past
You've opened my window but broken the glass
And I beseech thee, shed thy beauty
For as a child leaves the womb and learns the cold
You have taught us peril in the present
And you will bring us peril in our surely soon to be
Unless the river's not flooded this time

Oh, precious distance
Oh, precious pain, you've given me a name
And etched it in the stones of the river bank
Oh, precious distance
Oh, precious pain, you've given us a name
You've given us a name

Rise, said the king to the river
Never let up
No, bring us a flood and bring it hard
Breathe, said the Wind to the water
Never give in
No, build us a bridge
And build it strong and angry.
Let it still the king's decrees
You must contemplate the current, boy
And command that coward cease
The boy breathes for his love says, I wait
His love says, I wait
She's shouting out, I will come back
Yes, I will come back
And I will come
I have lived my life so uncomfortably
Darling, come for me, come for me

Rise, said the boy to his love
Darling, get up
I've brought you my love
And brought it far
Leave, said the girl to her lover
I've given in
If love is a bridge, we built it wrong
Curb your anger
Still your fists
She will never come back
She'll never come back
She'll never come
Never come back
She'll never come