SINTALUTA

As if you knew my prayer
As though you heard me when I said
That long after I'm through with life
This song that's in my head
Will find its way back to you
A mystery we share
Your heart the only radio
That keeps me on the air
As if I am still beside you
Our love is still alive
The sun's in the alfalfa
It's the day we took the drive
On the road to Sintaluta
Our love goes everywhere
You whisper what I'm dreaming of
As though you know my prayer

As if the summer would not end
And the song I taught to you
Would only grow with meaning
And we would make it through
To a better day, a sweeter day
The sun would kiss our skins
The wind would sing in bulletholes
In old tomato tins
Your body with my body
Says what can't be said
And laughter comes to trick the tears
We're crying up ahead
On the road to Sintaluta
Our love goes everywhere
You touch me where I hurt the most
As though you know my prayer

As if the wind were telling us
A story of the heart
We are younger when together
And older when apart
As if the arguments we had
Were solved without a sound
As if forgiveness was the seed
We scattered on the ground
As though a better crop could grow
One no frost could kill
As if the worst is over now
And you're beside me still
On the road to Sintaluta
Our love goes everywhere
May your heart be blossoming
In answer to my prayer

As if you knew what's coming
Before it came to pass
You kiss the day I'm gone away
Each time you kiss my face
The wires of the telegraph
The tilting of the barns
The way the day stops when you laugh
The suntan on your arms
The freckles underneath your eyes
The painted fingernails
As though you were still playing house
With all the neighbour girls
On the road to Sintaluta
Out in the corn somewhere
And I am looking for you still
The one who knows my prayer
The one who knows my prayer

DL