Raven Storme - Twelve Rivers to Cross

Mud past my knees and the moon gone thin, knew the dogs was somewhere, didn't know just when, held my breath so long I forgot my own skin. Twelve rivers to cross before I'm free, Twelve rivers to cross, Lord, carry me, Twelve rivers to cross, and not one carries me back to what used to be. First river was shallow, I walked it alone, second one was deep, had to leave my shoes at home, third one had a farmhouse light still burnin' that day. Never learned who lived there. Didn't need to. They fed me and pointed on. Twelve rivers to cross before I'm free, Twelve rivers to cross, Lord, carry me, Twelve rivers to cross, and every hand that helped me was a river in between. Found a man who worked the boats, said get on down below, told me hush now, told me the tide knows where to go, I laid still in that hold 'til we cleared the last plantation road. Twelve rivers to cross before I'm free, Twelve rivers to cross, and the sea's just one more of the twelve to me, Twelve rivers to cross, and I'm closer now than I ever thought I'd be. Wasn't runnin' no more when I put on that blue, Wasn't hidin' no more, had a rifle and a reason to, Every river behind me, every river still ahead, I was gon' see it through. Crossed the last river with the mornin' sun behind, didn't look back once, left the fear I used to hide, twelve rivers crossed, and free was waitin' on the other side. Twelve rivers crossed, and now I'm free, Twelve rivers crossed, Lord, look at me, Twelve rivers crossed, and every single one of 'em made me who I'm meant to be.