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

[Chorus]