Calico Plains

(Matraca Berg&Mike Noble) Sweet Abilena looked out at the midwestern sky Sweet seventeen with a far away look in her eyes. She said "I feel like a bird in a cage, "But come September I'm flying away." I said "I'll miss you," then I made her promise to write Since we were tall as the corn in the spring We shared every secret, shared every dream So anxious to grow in the new summer rain And bloom like a rose on the calico plains How could she hear as we laughed on that long summer night The tiny heart of the baby she carried inside I stood beside her when September came Watched her get married, then caught the bouquet And like those hand-me-down dresses she gave me