Gentle On My Mind

It's knowing that your door is always open
And your cat is free to walk
That makes me tend to leave my sleep
And bag rolled up and stashed behind your couch
And it's knowing
I'm not shackled by the captive words and bonds and the ink stains that are dried upon some lines
That keeps you in the back road by the rivers of my memories that keeps you ever gentle on my mind
It's not clinging to the rocks of ivy
Planted on their columns now that bind me
Or something that somebody said because they thought we'd fit together walkin'
It's just knowing that the world will not be cursing or forgivin'
When I walk along some railroad track and find that you're moving 'long the back road by the rivers of my memories
And for hours you're just gentle on my mind
Though the wheat fields and the clothes line
And the junk yards and the highways
Come between us
And some other woman is crying to her mother 'Cause she turned and I was gone
I stilled my mind 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
Walk 'long the back roads by the rivers
Flowing gentle on my mind
I'd dip my cup of soup pack from burning cracking cauldron in some train yard
My beard of reckonin' full crown and dirty hat full load across my face
Through cupped hands around the tin can
I pretend to hold you to my breasts and find that you're waiting from the back by the rivers of my memories ever smilin' ever gentle on my mind;