The Firing of the Midnight Rain

The hardest rain was firing down all the night that our love ran
Man did it fall like nails to the ground
I saw your face beneath that old moon smiling bold as the dawn
How did it shine despite this crumbling world
I heard the timberwolves out there howling a lonely old song
That rag upon the leaves. Those notes I will never forget
The days begin to slide like mud from the cold winter slopes
The nights played to the black birds in my beard
And in the days played to the grey ones
Up in the canyons where we used to make love
Far from the city streets
Tear drops falling like blood from her eyes
She said things will never blow our way again
The wind blew slow through the aching pines
And rolled around her beautiful hair
And she said, "No, man, I'll never be your wife
And I got a man who wants to kill you"
Went east from the ocean into pepperwood
Layed in the orchard with the rotting fruit
Drinking cans of beer all afternoon, sometimes late
Before the sun got too old, I saw a dust cloud rising up across a field
Into the forest with the cold moss and mold
From behind me I heard the pounding of earth
And I went on into that black hole
Ran all night like a small town dog until the muddy slew met the tide
And upon me I smelled the whisky and cold sweat

And he began to kill me dead
My legs were sinking in the silt and mud
My chest to the rising tide
With hi sboot on my shoulder and his pistol to my chest
He took my life
In a flash, I recall how the dawn used to come
Goodbye love, I may see you again
But probably not for a long while
All young men sleep easy
In the mud beneath the midnight rain
All love flows to the ocean
Without a trail or trace
All young men sleep easy
In the mud beneath the midnight rain
All love flows to the ocean
With a smile upon my still face