Old Paul Goes West

[Verse 1]
Ash on the plow line
Dust in the rain
Town hall is boarded
Names rusted in pain
Old Paul sat listening
By a cracked campfire
Heard of a leader
Who lit up the wire

[Verse 2]
Commonwealth talking
Down by the rail
Settlements rising
Where the strong set sail
Law in the daylight
Bread on the shelf
Paul touched his satchel
Said, "I’ll see it myself"

[Pre-Chorus]
He said, "Pack up the lantern
We’re leaving this place"
"Maybe hope still lives
Past this dead-end state"

[Chorus]
Old Paul, go on
Go where the fields still grow
Old Paul, go on
Where the good wind blows
Commonwealth calling
Shine on through the black
Old Paul, go on
And don’t look back
(Old Paul, go on)

[Verse 3]
They crossed the ridge line
Past buckled cars
Past broken billboards
And a sky full of scars
Met tired hands there
With rifles and smiles
A judge at the gate said
"You’ve come a long while"

[Verse 4]
Fresh boards on porches
Beans in the ground
Kids in the square now
Making that sound
Paul stood there weeping
At the clean, hard sight
He said, "This is living
This is right"

[Pre-Chorus]
He said, "Pack up the lantern
We’re leaving this place"
"Maybe hope still lives
Past this dead-end state"

[Chorus]
Old Paul, go on
Go where the fields still grow
Old Paul, go on
Where the good wind blows
Commonwealth calling
Shine on through the black
Old Paul, go on
And don’t look back
(Old Paul, go on)

[Bridge]
He buried his sorrow
By the roadside dust
Swapped fear for a hammer
Swapped doubt for trust
If the world’s in pieces
You build with your hands
One law, one shelter
One seed, one chance

[Final Chorus]
Old Paul, go on
Go where the fields still grow
Old Paul, go on
Where the good wind blows
Commonwealth calling
Shine on through the black
Old Paul, go on
And don’t look back
Old Paul, go on
The future needs your name
Old Paul, go on
And stake your claim
(Old Paul, go on)
(Old Paul, go on)