Bird in Hand

She was young and you were, too,
 but your heart was cold and gray
 A pretty lass, as clear as glass, a diamond for a day
 You held her hand, the promised land,
 her fears you did allay
 Babe you had a bird in hand and in that hand she strayed
 The sweetest words she'd ever heard,
 they made her trip and sway
 You took her down to the old red town
 and had your wicked way
 Morning came, nothing the same,
 her feet had turned to clay
 Babe you had a bird in hand and in that hand she lay
 Time did pass, and she alas,
 felt something that did weigh
 A sad-eyed girl, your country pearl
 had fallen, as they say
 And when she cried, you turned aside,
 you pushed her love away
 Babe you had a bird in hand and in that hand she stayed
 She was young and you were too,
 but your heart was cold and gray
 When the summer breeze turned to autumn leaves
 you took yourself away
 You never thought of her sad lot,
 she faced a judgment day
 Babe you had a bird in hand, a bird that hand betrayed
 Years went by, (& all that implies)
 And with age came dismay
 Your thoughts transformed, your heart grew warm,
 you changed your wicked ways
 Remembered love, a simple dove,
 your diamond in the hay
 Babe you had a bird in hand, a hand you overplayed
 You went down to the old red town,
 the streets in dust now paved
 Your pretty thing, a memory,
 had long since slipped away
 They said she died by the riverside
 on a chilly autumn day
 Babe you had a bird in hand but the bird has flown away