The Trail O' Love

  My love was swift and slender
    As an antelope at play,
  And her eyes were gray and tender
    As the east at break o' day,
  And I sure was shaky hearted
    And her flower face was pale
  On that silver night we parted,
    When I sang along the trail:

    _Forever--forever--_
      _Oh, moon above the pine,_
    _Like the matin' birds in Springtime,_
      _I will twitter while you shine._
    _Rich as ore with gold a-glowin',_
    _Sweet as sparklin' springs a-flowin',_
    _Strong as redwoods ever growin',_
      _So will be this love o' mine._

  I rode across the river
    And beyond the far divide,
  Till the echo of "forever"
    Staggered faint behind and died.
  For the long trail smiled and beckoned
    And the free wind blowed so sweet,
  That life's gayest tune, I reckoned,
    Was my hawse's ringin' feet.

    _Forever--forever--_
      _Oh, stars, look down and sigh,_
    _For a poison spring will sparkle_
      _And the trustin' drinker die._
    _And a rovin' bird will twitter_
    _And a worthless rock will glitter_
    _And the maiden's love is bitter_
      _When the man's is proved a lie._

  Last the rover's circle guidin'
    Brought me where I used to be,
  And I met her, gaily ridin'
    With a smarter man than me.
  Then I raised my dusty cover
    But she didn't see nor hear,
  So I hummed the old tune over,
    Laughin' in my hawse's ear:

    _If the snowflake specks the desert_
      _Or the yucca blooms awhile._
    _Ay! what gloom the mountain covers_
    _Where the driftin' cloud shade hovers!_
    _Ay! the trail o' parted lovers,_
      _Where "forever" lasts a mile!_

Form: Ballad

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