Matamoras Banks

Lyrics

Each year many die crossing the deserts, mountains, and rivers of our southern
border in search of a better life. Here I follow the journey backwards, from
the body at the river bottom, to the man walking across the desert towards the
banks of the Rio Grande.  
  
For two days the river keeps you down  
Then you rise to the light without a sound  
Past the playgrounds and empty switching yards  
The turtles eat the skin from your eyes, so they lay open to the stars  
  
Your clothes give way to the current and river stone  
'Till every trace of who you ever were is gone  
And the things of the earth they make their claim  
That the things of heaven may do the same  
Goodbye, my darling, for your love I give God thanks,  
Meet me on the Matamoros  
Meet me on the Matamoros  
Meet me on the Matamoros banks  
  
Over rivers of stone and ancient ocean beds  
I walk on sandals of twine and tire tread  
My pockets full of dust, my mouth filled with cool stone  
The pale moon opens the earth to its bones  
I long, my darling, for your kiss, for your sweet love I give God thanks  
The touch of your loving fingertips  
Meet me on the Matamoros  
Meet me on the Matamoros  
Meet me on the Matamoros banks  
  
Your sweet memory comes on the evenin' wind  
I sleep and dream of holding you in my arms again  
The lights of Brownsville, across the river shine  
A shout rings out and into the silty red river I dive  
I long, my darling, for your kiss, for your sweet love I give God thanks  
A touch of your loving fingertips  
Meet me on the Matamoros  
Meet me on the Matamoros  
Meet me on the Matamoros banks  
  
Meet me on the Matamoros  
Meet me on the Matamoros  
Meet me on the Matamoros banks