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
[Chorus:] 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 But this time sing a little more slowly