I'm going down to the river To lay my burden down Going down to the river To lay my burdens down And for the first time in my life For the first time in my life For the first time in my life I'll be free For the first time I'll be free She came home running Back to the mothering blackness Deep in the smothering blackness White tears, icicle, gold plains of her face She came home running She came down creeping Here to the black arms waiting Now to the warm heart waiting Rime of alien dreams befrosts her rich brown face She came down creeping She came home blameless Black yet as Hagar's daughter Tall as was Sheba's daughter Threats of northern winds die on the desert's face She came home blameless She came home blameless For the first time in my life For the first time in my life I'll be free