Kristin Lems - Cuyahoga River lyrics

I've lived upon this river shore since I was very small I've watched the seasons turning and I've watched the trees grow tall I've seen the factories coming, they cluster on the shore They dump their waste into our lake, and every day there's more Chorus: Oh lovely waters that have carried my canoe Cuyahoga River, what have they done to you? Once we would go fishing in rowboats every dawn Now all we see is tanker ships, and all the fish are gone We could see trout swimming full twenty feet below But now the water's turned to ink no matter where we row Our river it was clean and clear, we'd swim there everyday Now it's far too dangerous, a fence keeps us away The sun upon the water shone sparkling and royal But now we see a rainbow from reflections in the oil Late last Friday I drove home, smelled fire in the air Couldn't tell the origin, the smoke was everywhere A sheet of flame rose through the clouds, it cut them like a knife I saw the river up in flame and giving up it's life Now the ashes settle on a charred and cindered lake Staying by this shoreline is a terrible mistake But the Cuyahoga's seen me grow, and now I've seen it die Figure I'll stay by it, though I cannot tell you why Words and music by Kristin Lems c MCMLXXXIII Kleine Ding Music (BMI)