My love was swift and slender
As an antelope at play,
And her eyes were gray and tender
As the east at break o' day,
And I sure was shaky hearted
And her flower face was pale
On that silver night we parted,
When I sang along the trail:
_Forever--forever--_
_Oh, moon above the pine,_
_Like the matin' birds in Springtime,_
_I will twitter while you shine._
_Rich as ore with gold a-glowin',_
_Sweet as sparklin' springs a-flowin',_
_Strong as redwoods ever growin',_
_So will be this love o' mine._
I rode across the river
And beyond the far divide,
Till the echo of "forever"
Staggered faint behind and died.
For the long trail smiled and beckoned
And the free wind blowed so sweet,
That life's gayest tune, I reckoned,
Was my hawse's ringin' feet.
_Forever--forever--_
_Oh, stars, look down and sigh,_
_For a poison spring will sparkle_
_And the trustin' drinker die._
_And a rovin' bird will twitter_
_And a worthless rock will glitter_
_And the maiden's love is bitter_
_When the man's is proved a lie._
Last the rover's circle guidin'
Brought me where I used to be,
And I met her, gaily ridin'
With a smarter man than me.
Then I raised my dusty cover
But she didn't see nor hear,
So I hummed the old tune over,
Laughin' in my hawse's ear:
_If the snowflake specks the desert_
_Or the yucca blooms awhile._
_Ay! what gloom the mountain covers_
_Where the driftin' cloud shade hovers!_
_Ay! the trail o' parted lovers,_
_Where "forever" lasts a mile!_