The Wild Places

I was walking alone through the lofty San Juans
With a heart full of light
And a head full of songs
I was thinking of time
And how much it will cost
To recapture the souls
That we surely have lost

In the cities and towns
There are millions who dream
But the traffic's so loud
That you can't hear them scream
There's a heaven on earth
That so few ever find
Though the map's in your soul
And the road's in your mind

So many mountains before us
So many rivers to cross
Where is the wisdom to bring
Back the vision we've lost

Can we gaze with wonder of children
Into the deafening night
Has it gotten so dark
That we cannot remember the light?

When you sleep on the ground
With the stars in your face
You can feel the full length
Of the beauty and grace
In the wild places man
Is an unwelcome guest
But it's here than I'm found
And it's here I feel blessed