Once was a river
That flowed and flowed
And once was a soldier
That on it rowed

This soldier was old
His soul tinged with lore
From a good long life
That’d left him sore

He wanted to see a world
A world he could adore
So that complete he could be
And like the eagle soar

So he pulled his boat
Into a river that flowed
He picked up his oars
And rowed and rowed

He watched as children
Peeked from a door
Laughing and hollering
As away he’d oar

He passed towns
And cities, and store
Perhaps if he’d stopped
He’d have seen more

But on and on
The river flowed
So on and on
The soldier rowed

He passed a grizzly
Her cubs scuffling on shore
She gave him a glance
But did nothing more

He passed some wolves
As they fed on boar
They howled and barked
And he answered with a roar

But on and on
The river flowed
So on and on
The soldier rowed

He passed a meadow
Stained with gore
Full of untold stories
Of hatred and war

He passed a forest
That was green once before
‘til a hungry fire came along
And ate it to the core

On and on
The river flowed
So on and on
The soldier rowed

The soldier rowed
‘til he could no more
He smiled and cried
And his heart tore

He’d passed the world
A world to adore
He’d seen it all
He felt he could soar

Yet on and on
The river flowed
And on and on
The soldier rowed