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