They sat near one another at the water's edge
   I'll say "they" because "we" is too hard to say
   And he told her what he'd come so far to tell her
   with tears in her eves she said it can't be that way
   I left the ring down at the riverside
  
   He stared at the water for a long time, leaning on his hand
   He was going through the things that he was wondering
   The air was fairly still, like the calm before the storm
   No one would have guessed the rain. there was not distant thundering
   He still felt a long ways away inside
   I left the ring down at the riverside
  
   Should I tell them how he cried?
   Should I tell them how you held me, my never-bride?
   And how I left the ring down at the riverside
  
   The riverside-
   One like where believers stood for John to baptize them
   I'm going down to die, but I'll be coming up alive then
   I'm going down to die, but He'll bring me up alive then