Single Handed

Brought her kids up on her own even though a danger zone,
prairie dogs in search of food learned to protect her young brood,
fixed the barn he left undone worked the field in baking sun,
had to sell her best prize sow have to muddle through somehow.

He aint never coming back headed down the rairoad track,
turned her back on other men not get fooled like that again,
children growing finding out want to know what life's about,
sit them round the old wood fire never thought herself a liar.

'Daddy went away to fight he believed in what was right,
fought for likes of you and me so our people could be free,'
but at night the lies would taunt those blue eyes return to haunt,
stifle back the painful tears push away the wasted years.

Up at dawn to tend the herd feed the horses make the curd,
paint a smile upon her face push that stray hair out her face,
live to survive one more day keep bad memories at bay,
carry on as best she knows fight the canker that still grows.