I walked out further One night from home Than I had ever walked alone The dark it met me And so we went To find our fortunes, our futures bent
Joined by a shipman He sailed the sea He found his vessel was too lonely White whales behind him His freedom spent He'd lost his youth so improvident
But what's this doubt America What rotten core is this?
And soon we happened upon a girl Her face it showed us the ancient world She joined our party Faced true to night And struck on forward to help our flight
For what could we do but run on Backs to oblivion
Four of us flying against the wind Old brothers come near to do us in When by a fifth one we were so joined Who in relation was but a boy His eyes all wonder at blackest night The way became lit by his foresight Not quite a child, but not a man This one ahead now light up the land
For back behind America And all the war she knew Fly faster fly America Is on our tail She comes to murder you
A vision reached us - it was the dawn On night the curtains would soon be drawn But before losing our darkest friend We met a woman near to her end
She whispered quietly To slow our pace "Don't rush like this so from place to place" But chased by the spirits Of old decline We hardly had time to say goodbye
So goodbye now America Goodbye to all that world That you destroyed Sweet innocent Your crimson flag unfurled