A Border Affair

  Spanish is the lovin' tongue,
    Soft as music, light as spray.
  'Twas a girl I learnt it from,
    Livin' down Sonora way.
  I don't look much like a lover,
  Yet I say her love words over
    Often when I'm all alone--
    "Mi amor, mi corazon."

  Nights when she knew where I'd ride
    She would listen for my spurs,
  Fling the big door open wide,
    Raise them laughin' eyes of hers
  And my heart would nigh stop beatin'
  When I heard her tender greetin',
    Whispered soft for me alone--
    "Mi amor! mi corazon!"

  Moonlight in the patio,
    Old Señora noddin' near,
  Me and Juana talkin' low
    So the Madre couldn't hear--
  How those hours would go a-flyin'!
  And too soon I'd hear her sighin'
    In her little sorry tone--
    "Adios, mi corazon!"

  But one time I had to fly
    For a foolish gamblin' fight,
  And we said a swift goodbye
    In that black, unlucky night.
  When I'd loosed her arms from clingin'
  With her words the hoofs kep' ringin'
    As I galloped north alone--
    "Adios, mi corazon!"

  Never seen her since that night.
    I kaint cross the Line, you know.
  She was Mex and I was white;
    Like as not it's better so.
  Yet I've always sort of missed her
  Since that last wild night I kissed her,
    Left her heart and lost my own--
    "Adios, mi corazon!"

Form: Ballad Comments

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