Saw an old man down by the riverside, lookin' 'bout half past dead/
Gave him two dollars and a penny, for to get a bottle just to cool his head/
Turned around to hand it back to me, and I looked at him like he was mad/
Swept his gaze up to my eyes, and he gave a single shake of his head, /
Said "I've been here for a long while, and I'll stay until I'm good and dead,"/
"It's been a many year since I've sat here, and I'll stay 'til my kingdom come, /
I didn't know just what to say to that, so I asked, "Hey, mister, where you from?"/
He took a minute, thinking 'bout everything, and I thought he was dead/
Gave the biggest smile I have never seen, and he turned to me, and he said:/
"I come from over yonder, where the mountain starts, and the river ends"/
"The first thing I saw was the water; it'll be the last thing I see again, "/
"Yeah, I came from the water, and if you see a friend of mine, "/
"Tell him he's still got a brother, who won't let him get left behind..."/
This is meant to be sung, not read. I appreciate if you feel it. If not, well... this here is Texas, yeah? Old school.
