Deep in the mountains, past the asphalt roads
Goin' up a holler is a narrow dirt road, yellow dirt
Fine an' grainy dirt that turns to dust easily
Turns to sticky, nasty ol' mud even quicker.
Old road was maybe a pioneer wagon trail
Maybe just an ol' cow path some weary
And unlucky traveler followed one lonesome day.
Nondescript trees an' scrubby brush line the road
Blockin' you in as your travel slowly to avoid the ruts
Keepin' your eyes ahead careful to stay to one side
Or the other side of the deep ruts which are the only evidence
Anyone has ever traveled the lane before you.
Drive on back the road an' cross a creek
Sick, yellow an' red from coal mine runoff.
That yellow dust coats and grabs on every wet surface now,
Evidence to the world that you traveled that weary road.
Then, just as you are lookin' to find a wide spot to turn
Up on the hillside, to your right a cabin sits tilted
Leanin' into the mountain as if to rest.
On the porch is a little ol' girl, thin an' cautious
Looking at you, wonderin' who you are
Wonderin' why you are sittin' there in your car.
Carefully she smiles and bashfully waves at you.
You smile and lift your hand to wave back
Then she turns to open the ragged screen door
And runs quickly inside to hide and watch you.
Slowly you turn in the wide spot, the yard
As you leave the little gal steps back out
And though she thinks you won't even notice,
She waves again, as if she would travel with you
To places she has only dreamed of.
As you drive back home you smile more than once
Remembering a little ol' girl, thin and cautious
In a threadbare dress, no shoes who waved
From a porch up a holler on a deep rutted road
And not till you turned and started to leave did your notice
She had a magic wand made of a twig of apple wood
And carefully strapped to her back with old baling twine
Made of cardboard and duct tape... she wore wings.
Goin' up a holler is a narrow dirt road, yellow dirt
Fine an' grainy dirt that turns to dust easily
Turns to sticky, nasty ol' mud even quicker.
Old road was maybe a pioneer wagon trail
Maybe just an ol' cow path some weary
And unlucky traveler followed one lonesome day.
Nondescript trees an' scrubby brush line the road
Blockin' you in as your travel slowly to avoid the ruts
Keepin' your eyes ahead careful to stay to one side
Or the other side of the deep ruts which are the only evidence
Anyone has ever traveled the lane before you.
Drive on back the road an' cross a creek
Sick, yellow an' red from coal mine runoff.
That yellow dust coats and grabs on every wet surface now,
Evidence to the world that you traveled that weary road.
Then, just as you are lookin' to find a wide spot to turn
Up on the hillside, to your right a cabin sits tilted
Leanin' into the mountain as if to rest.
On the porch is a little ol' girl, thin an' cautious
Looking at you, wonderin' who you are
Wonderin' why you are sittin' there in your car.
Carefully she smiles and bashfully waves at you.
You smile and lift your hand to wave back
Then she turns to open the ragged screen door
And runs quickly inside to hide and watch you.
Slowly you turn in the wide spot, the yard
As you leave the little gal steps back out
And though she thinks you won't even notice,
She waves again, as if she would travel with you
To places she has only dreamed of.
As you drive back home you smile more than once
Remembering a little ol' girl, thin and cautious
In a threadbare dress, no shoes who waved
From a porch up a holler on a deep rutted road
And not till you turned and started to leave did your notice
She had a magic wand made of a twig of apple wood
And carefully strapped to her back with old baling twine
Made of cardboard and duct tape... she wore wings.
