This song appears on four albums, and was first released on the Earth Songs album. It has been released on The Flower That Shattered The Stone, The Very Best of John Denver (Single CD) and The John Denver Collection - Rocky Mountain High albums.



Raven's child

Is chasing salvation

Black beak turned white

From the crack and the snow

On the streets of despair

The answer is simple

A spoonful of mercy

Can set free the soul



The drug king sits

On his arrogant throne

Away and above and apart

Even children

Are twisted to serve him

And greed has corrupted

What once was a heart



Raven's child

Keeps vigil for freedom

Trades for the arms

That once made her strong

With nuclear warheads

And lasers in heaven

fear does the choosing

Between right and wrong



The arms king sits

On his arrogant throne

Away and above and apart

Bankers assure him

That he needn't care

And greed makes a stone of

What once was a heart



Raven's child

Is washing the water

All of her wing-feathers

Blackened with tar

Prince William shoreline's

An unwanted highway

Of asphalt and anger

An elegant scar



The oil king sits

On his arrogant throne

Away and above and apart

Lawyers have warned him

He mustn't speak

And greed has made silent

What once was a heart



You know there are walls

That come tumbling down

For people who yearn to be free

Still there are hearts

That long to be opened

And eyes that are longing to see



Raven's child is our constant companion

Sticks like a shadow

To all that is done

Try as we may

We just can't escape him

The source of our sorro