SoNG: The Rivers Flow

 Peace Encampment Herstory Project, 2009.

Myke Johnson playing her song, "The Rivers Flow," during her PeHP herstory interview, July 26, 2009.

The Rivers Flow

Written by Myke Johnson, Peace Camp, 1985

PeHP Source: Herstory 112 

I’m feeling so helpless when you give me the news
About the way your body’s racing and the treatments they want to use
The signals that your thyroid sends have really gone awry
They say if they don’t radiate to kill it you may die.

But you are not afraid, you’ve fought a long time and now you know
Your life goes deeper than any they can find
Beneath the ground, the rivers flow
Between our hearts love grows and grows and grows.

I feel so helpless when I listen to the news
The earth is my own mother and they radiate her too
They play with deadly poisons and they never count the cost
They say we need the weapons or our way of life is lost

I feel we’ve lost already, maybe they’re what’s killing you
Can they kill the planet? Is there nothing we can do?
Sometimes I feel so discouraged and I fall into despair
We’re plunging into suicide and so few seem to care.

But she is not afraid, she’s endured a long time, more than we know
Her life goes deeper than, any they can bind
Beneath the ground, the rivers flow
Between our hearts, love grows and grows and grows

I feel so helpless when I look into your eyes
It took me so much time to finally realize
The treasure that you are to me and I can be to you
Our loving in our motherland is hidden from their view

And I am still afraid but I’ll fight a long time because I know
Our life goes deeper than any they can find
Beneath the ground, the rivers flow
Between our hearts, love grows and grows and grows