CROOKED

There's a church by the bend in the river
Sundays, the people there sing
Songs they've been singing forever
The cross and the blood and the King
They sing to be rid of their Satan
To knock open all heaven's doors
But the bend in the river won't straighten
Crooked's the natural course
Crooked’s the natural course

There's a dark house the sun doesn't enter
A place where the light’s not allowed
There's a shadow that tightens the center
And sets you apart from the crowd
The old spirits circle you later
They press and apply quite a force
Believing they'll help you go straighter
But crooked's the natural course
Crooked’s the natural course

Blue skies are not a favour
When no water’s left in the well
Some elders use God as a lever
Some think we're living in hell
So many kids pass through the gate here
From poverty shacks to the wars
A lie is the only thing straight here
Crooked's the natural course
Crooked’s the natural course

There's a house with an oak tree outside it
The branches no longer hold green
There's a scooter but no one to ride it
A hole in the kitchen door screen
In the fields I hear Gideon crying
He's found the remains of a horse
Around him the black birds are flying
Crooked's the natural course
Crooked's the natural course

There's a church by the bend in the river
On Sundays the people there sing
Songs they've been singing forever
The cross and the blood and the King
They sing to be rid of their Satan
To pry open all heaven's doors
But the bend in the river won't straighten
Crooked's the natural course
Crooked’s the natural course

DL

© Doug Lang