VERSE ONE Beside the river, through the gates, Where merchant vessels lie, I set the scrolls upon the desk As morning climbs the sky. My robe is blue, my ink is dark, The gathered voices still; I greet the hall and turn the scroll, Then lay aside my quill. CHORUS Come, turn the scroll and hear the words, Then tell me what you see; What keeps a city standing strong, What binds its people free? From riverbank to council hall, Through all we say and do, May wisdom guide the hand that writes And those who wear the blue. VERSE TWO We speak of tribute, coin, and grain, Of what the cities owe; Of hands that fill the market stalls And ships that come and go. Who pays to mend a broken wall? Whose word may grant the gold? We weigh the duties of the Free Against the words of old. CHORUS Come, turn the scroll and hear the words, Then tell me what you see; What keeps a city standing strong, What binds its people free? From riverbank to council hall, Through all we say and do, May wisdom guide the hand that writes And those who wear the blue. VERSE THREE We trace the making of a law, The voice that makes it known; For words must reach beyond the room Where rulers sit alone. A student asks; I pause to hear, And turn the scroll once more. One question opens up a path We had not seen before. VERSE FOUR A seal, a name, a traveller’s writ, A vessel bound for sea; The merchant’s house, the city’s gate— Each holds a lesson’s key. And when a quarrel reaches us, I set each statement down; The judgment waits upon the one Who serves the court and town. BRIDGE The lesson ends; the scroll is rolled, Yet someone stays behind. We sit and speak beside the desk Of what still clouds the mind. For all the books upon the shelf, For all the ink we spend, Sometimes the work begins anew Where we had thought to end. FINAL CHORUS Come, turn the scroll and hear the words, Then tell me what you see; What keeps a city standing strong, What binds its people free? Beside the river, lamps are lit, The evening bells ring through; Tomorrow finds an open scroll And one who wears the blue.
