I listened to the cryin' wind
and felt its cold, cold tears.
The rain, in horizontal slants,
washed off the dusty years.
Once more, I thought of Mary Lou-
the happiness we knew;
and how the cowboy life I loved,
cost me Mary Lou.

Those months out herdin' cattle
months on end on cattle drives....
with all the cowhands in the crew,
away from home and wives.
With months and months away from her,
and weeks at home, too few-
the wrangler's life this cowboy led,
it cost me Mary Lou.

The coal mine up at Bearcreek-
the copper mines at Butte.....
I tried. My God, I tried 'em,
but my loathing was acute.
I missed the smell of prairie sage
and hearin' cattle bawl;
I missed the roundups, cattle drives,
the range....I missed it all.
I tried t' fit in elsewhere,
but wranglin's all I knew;
and much as I loved cowboy life,
it cost me Mary Lou.

Now as Autumn runs its course,
and frigid Winter nears,
I listen to the cryin' wind
and feels its cold, cold tears.
They're peltin' down from dismal clouds
of dark and gloomy hue,
as I recall how cowboy life
cost me Mary Lou.
The copper mines, I loathed 'em..
and the coal mines? Loathed 'em too,
and couldn't take 'em anymore.
It cost me Mary Lou.

Bette Wolf Duncan
copyright ©January2006