Blue Poles - Patti Smith

Mother as I write the sun dissolves

Blood life streaming cross my hand

And these words, these words

Hope dashed immortal hope

Hope streaking the canvas sky

Blue poles infinitely winding, as I write, as I write

We joined the long caravan

Hungry dreaming going west

Just for work just to get a job

And we never got lucky

We just forged on

And the dust the endless dust

Like a plague it covered everything

Hal fell with the fever

And mother I did what I could

We prayed we prayed for rain

I never wanted to see the sun again

All my dresses you made hand

We left behind on the road

Hal died in my arms

We buried him by the river