Bruce Springsteen Matamoras Banks Lyrics

Matamoras Banks Lyrics

(Each year many die crossing the deserts,

mountains and rivers of our
southern border

in search of a better life. Here I follow the

journey backwards, from the body at the

river bottom, to the man
walking across

the desert towards the banks of the Rio Grande.)



For two days the river keeps you down

Then you rise to the light
without a sound

Past the playgrounds and empty switching yards

The
turtles eat the skin from your eyes, so they lay open to the stars



Your clothes give way to the current and river stone

'Till every trace
of who you ever were is gone

And the things of the earth they make their
claim

That the things of heaven may do the same



Goodbye, my
darling, for your love I give God thanks,

Meet me on the Matamoros

Meet me on the Matamoros

Meet me on the Matamoros banks



Over rivers of stone and ancient ocean beds

I walk on sandals of twine
and tire tread

My pockets full of dust, my mouth filled with cool
stone

The pale moon opens the earth to its bones

I long, my
darling, for your kiss, for your sweet love I give God thanks

The touch
of your loving fingertips

Meet me on the Matamoros

Meet me on the
Matamoros

Meet me on the Matamoros banks



Your sweet memory
comes on the evenin' wind

I sleep and dream of holding you in my arms
again

The lights of Brownsville, across the river shine

A shout
rings out and into the silty red river I dive

I long, my darling, for
your kiss, for your sweet love I give God thanks

A touch of your loving
fingertips

Meet me on the Matamoros

Meet me on the Matamoros

Meet me on the Matamoros banks