The Priest's Garden

In the heart of the holy city Where the seeds of our shadows are sown, sown I went walking all in the priest's garden And I met a sweet child all alone I met a sweet child all alone The hard rain it blew all around him Till the black earth it was riven with cares, with cares All the roses were bending and breaking Oh, the ravens have stolen my prayers, he said Oh the ravens have stolen my prayers I was sailing my own little rowboat With my cross and my Bible and beads, and beads It was built by my father and mother And the name of that boat it was creed, creed The name of that boat it was creed Well a stream it flowed out of the village Where the willows they weep by the ford, ford And that stream it grew into a river And the name of that river was Lord, Lord The name of that river was Lord And that river flowed into the valley And the valley flowed into a cave, a cave At the heart of that cave was an altar And the name on the altar was saved, saved The name on the altar was saved But the raven is wary and wily For he covets our shadows and shame, shame And he's wearing the robes of the Holy He will dare you to mention his name, name He'll dare you to mention his name Dark roses they bloom in his garden And their roots they are fed upon fears, fears Though he preaches of penance and pardon All the petals are covered with tears, tears The petals are covered with tears I will pull down down those brambles and briars Where they grow from below and above, above I will build a gate out of this garden And the name on that gate shall be love, love The name on that gate shall be love