Memories Of East Texas

Michelle Shocked

Memories of East Texas

And piney green rolling hills

Covered in the springtime

With golden daffodils

Rowing on Sandy Lake come April

Harvesting hay in June

Sitting by the road watching well-fires burn

By an old October moon



I learned to drive on those East Texas red clay backroads

And I mean to tell you my friend

They weren't no easy roads

You had to watch out for all the curves

Down by Kelsey Creek

And detour through the Lindsay's pasture

When the water ran too deep



Memories of East Texas

And Gilmer, county seat of Upshur

Looking back and asking myself

'What the hell'd you let them break your spirit for?'

You know, their lives ran in circles so small

Ah, they thought they'd seen it all

And they could not make a place for a girl who'd seen the ocean



I learned to drive on those East Texas red clay backroads

And I mean to tell you my friend

They weren't no easy roads

You had to watch out for all the curves

Down by Kelsey Creek

And detour through the Lindsay's pasture

When the water ran too deep



Ah, but those memories of East Texas

Those piney green rolling hills

Covered in the springtime

With those wild daffodils

Sitting in those Piney Woods

Playing my guitar

Thinking back on the roads I'd come

Thinking I had not come that far...



I learned to drive on those East Texas red clay backroads

And I mean to tell you my friend

They weren't no easy roads

You had to watch out for all the curves

Down by Kelsey Creek

And detour through the Lindsay's pasture

When the water ran too deep