It′s knowing that your door is always
Open and your path is free to walk
That makes me tend to leave my sleeping
Bag rolled up and stashed behind your couch
And it's knowing I′m not shackled by forgotten words and bonds
And the ink stains that have dried upon some line
That keeps you in the back roads by the rivers of my memory
Keeps you ever gentle on my mind
It's not clinging to the rocks and ivy
Planted on their columns now that binds me
Or something that somebody said because
They thought we fit together walking
It's just knowing that the world will not be cursing or forgiving
When I walk along some railroad track and find
That you′re moving on the back roads by the rivers of my memory
And for hours you′re just gentle on my mind
Oh, the wheat fields and the clotheslines and
The junkyards and the highways come between us
And some other woman's crying to her
Mother ′cause she turned and I was gone
I still might run in silence, tears of joy might stain my face
And the summer sun might burn me till I'm blind
But not to where I cannot see you walking on the back roads
By the rivers flowing gentle on my mind
I dip my cup of soup back from a gurgling
Cracking cauldron in some train yard
My beard erupting in coal pile and a
Dirty hat pulled low across my face
Through cupped hands ′round a tin can I
Pretend to hold you to my breast and find
That you're waiting from the back roads by the rivers of my memory
Forever you′re just gentle on my mind
Writer(s): John Hartford Lyrics powered by www.musixmatch.com
