The Steamboat Queen
Old time barbershop quartet singing on the banks of the Mississippi
Miss Moline lights another cigarette, shakes her head
And she says,

One last slow ride through the night
One last slow ride in the moonlight
All right, steamboat queen, sing me a simple tune for these troubled times
Hold tight, steamboat queen, you must have been something in your prime

Sing another round of Hometown Sweetheart
The sun’s down and it’s tearing me to pieces
Hurry up children don’t be late
The paddle wheel’s spinning like a 78

Everybody come out and see
The last ride of the steamboat queen
She ain’t nothing but a novelty now
Easy times have slipped away somehow

*********

Wren's Lullaby
Don’t you cry, sweet little songbird, don’t you know
That every withered branch you light upon is born anew
Just because of you

Tell me please, little songbird, for I believe you know
Far better than we do
Of that world we come from and which we fall back to

All the leaves once green will turn to gold and red
All living things once young grow old and shed their skin

Let me in, little songbird, sing to me a simple tune
So I might play along
Let it ring until the world is wrapped in song