Cross the Water

January gray all day

January gray all day

& it’s so cold

Freeze the body

But warms my soul—

cross the Ohio River

cross the frozen river—

cross over into              Freedomland

cross over that frozen

water….

Slaver done sold

My mother…

Slaver done sold my father…

Done sold my childrun, too

Gonna keep

Steppin’

Steppin’

Over that ice

Gonna leave this

Damned Dixieland

Gonna leave this damn

Dixie-damned land

Goin’

cross the river

to Freedom’s land.

“Ain’t let nobody

Turn me ‘round…

Ain’t gonna let no

Bloodhounds

turn me ‘round…

Ain’t let no paddyrollers

turn me ‘round

Gonna cross that

River into Freedomland.

©David Cooper 11/27/13