Am
We left our home by dark of night
G
Joseph and my boy and I
F
When all the gunmen were asleep
E
We slipped into the forest
[Verse 2]
Am
We left everything behind
G
Joseph and my boy and I
F
Took only what we had to keep
E
And the hopes they would not find us
[Verse 3]
Am
We prayed our prayers, we broke our bread
G
With others who had even less
F
'Til finally all we had were dreams
E
And we hoped that they would fill us
[Verse 4]
Am
We lived on roots and the bark of trees
G
Joseph and my boy and me
F
Drank the water from the stream
E
And hoped it would not kill us
[Interlude]
Am G F G
[Verse 5]
Am
A man offered a change of luck
G
All we had for a cargo truck
F
With fifty others in the back
E
They shut the door behind us
[Verse 6]
Am
It got so hot we could not breathe
G
Joseph and my boy and me
F
When we arrived, the sky was black
E
That's where I buried Joseph
[Verse 7]
Am
The river stole away my shoes
G
The soles of both my feet were bruised
F
My boy lay silent in my arms
E
His dreams were deep and soundless
[Verse 8]
Am
The day was long, the sun was high
G
A hammer on an anvil sky
F
By the wall I fell and cried
E
For death was all around us
[Interlude]
Am G F G x2
[Verse 9]
Am
They found me there where I had slept
G
Their handcuffs tight around my wrists
F
Shackles tight around my legs
E
As if I could escape you
[Verse 10]
Am
And since I could not hold my babe
G
You took my only boy away
F
Though I plead and though I beg
E
You won't say where he's gone to
[Verse 11]
Am
I'm tired now, my eyes are dry
G
There's only me alone tonight
F
In a land I thought would be
E
Ours if we could make it
[Verse 12]
Am
A land that welcomes strangers in
G
A land that beckoned like a friend
F
If I had the chance again
E
I'd rather die than take it
[Verse 13]
Am
The holy family got away
G
A simpler time, a simpler place
F
And Egypt stretched out it's great hand
E
To welcome them with mercy
[Verse 14]
Am
Now Joseph's dead out on the road
G
My boy is gone and I don't know
F
Where he is or where I am
E
With every breath, it hurts me
[Interlude]
Am G F G x2
[Verse 15]
Am
And you who stood at your great gates
G
Watched us as we met our fate
F
Then took our pride and stole our babes
E
You will one day die of something
[Verse 16]
Am
But as you rest your weary head
G
Your family close around your bed
F
May your thoughts all fly instead
E
To the ones who you gave nothing
[Verse 17]
Am
The naked one, the starving child
G
Who crawled the final brutal miles
F
Through blood and filth and rock and wild
E
In the hopes of only living
[Verse 18]
Am
May the pain within you dwell
G
May it follow you to hell
F
All alone in a lonely cell
E
Forever unforgiven
[Verse 19]
Am
May the pain within you dwell
G
May it follow you to hell
F
All alone in a lonely cell
E
Forever unforgiven
