I saw you running
Ahead of the crowd
I chased but never thought
I’d catch you
You said you loved me
But you had to be free
And I let you
Why did I let you?

We walked together
Through the gardens and graves
I watched you grow
To be a woman
Living on promises
That nobody gave
To no one
They were given to no one

I started listening
To the wind and the rain
You strained your ears
But could hear nothing
One night I thought
I heard them
Whisper my name
And I went running

I left a trail of footprints
Deep in the snow
I swore one day
I would retrace them
But when I turned around
I found that the wind
Had erased them
Now I’ll never replace them

Fly away, my sweet bird over the land
Take life for all the freedom you can
But if you ever should need a man
Well, the offer still stands

I hear you’ve taken on a husband and child
And live somewhere in pennsylvania
I never thought you’d ever sever the string
But I can’t blame you none
So let the ashes fall
And lay where they will
Just say that once
You used to know me

One last time sing that old song
We used to know
But this time sing
A little more slowly

Fly away, my sweet bird over the land
Take life for all the freedom you can
But if you ever should need a man
Well, the offer still stands