[Verse 1] I left at dawn with a paper map And a coat with a patch on the elbow The field gate creaked like it knew my name As I rolled out slow A dog barked once by the mill pond lane The baker waved with flour on his sleeve I tucked my hands in my pockets tight And chased the breeze [Pre-Chorus] Every mile felt lighter Every turn felt kind Like the road was saying You can take your time [Chorus] I'm going home, going home With the dust on my shoes I'm going home, going home To the face I knew (going home) The porch light's waiting And so am I [Verse 2] At the iron bridge, I stopped and laughed At the same old crack in the rail The river wore its winter shine And told the tale There was my sign by the cedar tree Bent from years of wind and rain I could smell the woodsmoke in the air Before the bend [Pre-Chorus] Every mile felt lighter Every turn felt kind Like the road was saying You can take your time [Chorus] I'm going home, going home With the dust on my shoes I'm going home, going home To the face I knew (going home) The porch light's waiting And so am I [Bridge] I passed the hill where I learned to run Passed the creek where I first fell in And I swore the world got smaller there And bigger now again [Chorus] I'm going home, going home With the dust on my shoes I'm going home, going home To the face I knew (going home) The porch light's waiting And so am I [Outro] When the gate swings wide And your arms do too I won't need to say What the road pulled through I'm home, I'm home I'm home at last