I met the queen of Iowa   She was dying on a couch in the suburbs   And with all of the things she was dying of   She was more alive than the others      She was pretty as a flower in a crystal vase   It lights up the room as it withers away   And she opened her eyes   When she heard the music play      We sang a hymn to the rhythm of the river that flows   Down from the mountain of the Holy Ghost   And into the souls   Of those who know His name   Like the Queen of Iowa   She was the Queen of Iowa      Her majesty was all ablaze   She was burning hot but not consumed   Our shoes removed in that holy place   In the hallowed ground of the living room      I bowed down low and I kissed her hand   And we raised a toast to the Promised Land   And I saw the tears of joy   Run down her face      We sang a hymn to the rhythm of the river that flows   Down from the mountain of the Holy Ghost   And into the souls   Of those who know His name   Like the Queen of Iowa   (Peace like a river in a valley of bones   It fills the valley up and it carries them home)   She was the Queen of Iowa   (Bridge)   I could see my illusions scatter   Every time she drew a breath   I could see the heart of the matter:   The heart is a matter of life and death   I’ll never be the same      We sang about oceans of love again   As she stared past the ceiling and the sky above   Two court musicians, it was me and Ben   We were singing for the Queen of Iowa      We sang a hymn to the rhythm of the river that flows   Down from the mountain of the Holy Ghost   And into the souls   Of those who know His name   There was peace like a river in a valley of bones   It fills the valley up and it carries them home   To come alive again   In the river of Grace   Like the Queen of Iowa   (Peace like a river in a valley of bones   It fills the valley up and it carries them home)   She was the Queen of Iowa   Long live the Queen of Iowa