D

[Verse 1]
     D
It's knowing that your door is always open
                         Em
and your path is free to walk,
     A
That makes me tends to leave my sleeping bag rolled up
                        D
and stashed behind your couch.

[Verse 2]
     D
It's knowing I'm not shackled by forgotten words and bars
                                             Em
and the ink stains that have dried upon some lines,
     A
that keeps you on the back roads by the rivers of my memory
                                D
and keeps you ever gentle on my mind.

[Verse 3]
         D
It's not clinging to the rocks and ivy, planted on the columns,
         Em
now that binds me;
   A
or something that somebody said
                                     D
because they thought we fit together walkin'.

[Verse 4]
          D
It's just knowing that the world will not be cursed or forgiven
                                         Em
when I walk along some railway track and find
            A
that you're waiting on the back roads by the rivers of my memory
                                    D
for hours, you're just gentle on my mind.

[Verse 5]
           D
Though the wheat fields and the clothes lines and the junkyards
                        Em
and the highways come between us
         A
and some other woman's crying to her mother 'cause she turned
          D
and I was gone.

[Verse 6]
        D
Well, I still might run in silence tears of joy might stain my face
                                          Em
and the summer sun might burn me till I'm blind.
    A
But not to where I cannot see you walkin' on the back roads
                                   D
by the rivers flowing gentle on my mind.

[Verse 7]
        D
Well, I dip my cup of soup back from a gurgling bubbling cauldron
        Em
in some train yard;
   A
my beard rough and the coal pile and a dirty hat pulled low
          D
'cross my face.

[Verse 8]
        D
Through cupped hand, drivin' tin can,
                                       Em
I pretend to hold you to my breast and find
            A
that you're waiving on the back roads by the rivers of my memory,
                               D
ever smilin' ever gentle on my mind.