One Sunday Morning (Song for Jane Smiley's Boyfriend)

This is how I tell it Oh, but it's long One Sunday morning Oh, one son is gone I can see where they're dawning Over the sea My father said what I had become No-one should be Outside I look lived in Like the bones in a shrine How am I forgiven? Oh, I'll give it time This, I learned without warning Holding my brow In time he thought I would kill him Oh, but I didn't know how I said it's your god I don't believe in No, your Bible can't be true Knocked down by the long life He cried, 'I fear what waits for you' I can hear those bells Spoken and gone I feel relief, I feel well Now he knows he was wrong I am cold for my father Frozen underground Jesus, I wouldn't bother He belongs to me now Something sad keeps moving So I wandered around I fell in love with the burden Holding me down Bless my mind, I miss Being told how to live What I learned without knowing How much more that I owe that I can give This is how I tell it Oh, but it's long One Sunday morning One son is gone