Children ran to the river bank Left their shoes and swam toward the light When dark came on and the dinner bell rang The children were nowhere in sight Only a shape, only a memory, only a shell And the sun won't stop for no one Death paused on its weary way Left the highway and stayed the night When dawn came on and my mama rose My daddy was nowhere in sight Only a shape, only a memory, only a shell And the sun won't stop for no one Who's gonna hold my hand when I'm old I'll still have stories to tell You will wish one day you had paused to listen But I will be nowhere in sight Only a shape, only a memory, only a shell And the sun won't stop for no one