Raven’s Child

This song appears on four albums, and was first released on the Earth Songs album. It has been released on The Flower That Shattered The Stone, The Very Best of John Denver (Single CD) and The John Denver Collection - Rocky Mountain High albums.

Raven's child
Is chasing salvation
Black beak turned white
From the crack and the snow
On the streets of despair
The answer is simple
A spoonful of mercy
Can set free the soul

The drug king sits
On his arrogant throne
Away and above and apart
Even children
Are twisted to serve him
And greed has corrupted
What once was a heart

Raven's child
Keeps vigil for freedom
Trades for the arms
That once made her strong
With nuclear warheads
And lasers in heaven
fear does the choosing
Between right and wrong

The arms king sits
On his arrogant throne
Away and above and apart
Bankers assure him
That he needn't care
And greed makes a stone of
What once was a heart

Raven's child
Is washing the water
All of her wing-feathers
Blackened with tar
Prince William shoreline's
An unwanted highway
Of asphalt and anger
An elegant scar

The oil king sits
On his arrogant throne
Away and above and apart
Lawyers have warned him
He mustn't speak
And greed has made silent
What once was a heart

You know there are walls
That come tumbling down
For people who yearn to be free
Still there are hearts
That long to be opened
And eyes that are longing to see

Raven's child is our constant companion
Sticks like a shadow
To all that is done
Try as we may
We just can't escape him
The source of our sorrow and shame
We are one

The true King sits
On a heavenly throne
Never away nor above nor apart
With wisdom and mercy
And constant compassion
He lives in the love
That lives in our hearts

Words and music by John Denver and Joe Henry