Had my foot resting on the pig pen,
watching my sows bringing new litters in,
wondering if these would help ends meet.
The crops all dried in that Texas heat,
we had to find work in the city so we could eat.
That was 35 summers ago.
Stood in line with all my gear on,
about two hours before dawn,
worried if I was going to qualify.
They dropped us, rolled us
and pretty much as they pleased,
got rid of a lot of boys except me,
told me to get back in line.
That was 35 summers ago.
  Thirty five summers of doing it all,
sometimes knocked on my *** and **** near crawl,
made a life out of what I have.
Seen things I did'nt want to see,
did things that would normally not be me,
made it through most of the tough times.
That was 35 summers ago.
Hope I got 35 more summers to go.

I have not done what he has done,
I know where he has been.
He has not been where I have gone,
yet knows the things I did.
I am my Fathers Son.
He tried to shield me from this path,
I wanted to follow his.
He never told anyone ,
I wanted to hear all of it.
I am my Fathers Son.
Together we now see each other,
the shroud has been lowered down.
The things that needed doing then,
still need doing now.
I grear up as he did then,
I am my Fathers Son.

Got her little fingers in my ear
or her toes digging into my back.
Got me sleeping on the edge of my bed
when we take a nap.
For such a tiny thing, she takes up most of my bed,
stretched out from end to end, toes to head.
So that gives me plenty of time , sit there while she sleeps
and look at this little piece of Heaven that the Good Lord sent to me.
Now I'm not saying that all of this has been an easy road
but I would'nt  trade these moments for a lighter load.
So I cover myself back up with whats left of the warning label from the spread,
feel her snuggle up beside me and I kiss her little head.
My piece of Heaven.

Well come on in and stay awhile,
got some ice tea, know your throats probably dry.
With all this weather , kind of been sitting around,
just feeding my face and putting on pounds.
So tonight I figured we'd better go light,
cook a little different and start eating ' right.'
So I've got me some Romaine lettuce washed in the pan,
got some  rice in the cooker and a can of light spam.
We going to pan roast the spam in a little sesame oil
and then serve it in this lettuce and rice  like a summer roll.
Course you can get as fancy as them chefs on TV,
but for now , well this is good enough for me.
Gonna join me?

So tired of the phrase...if I have to explain you would'nt understand....
I want to explain so you will understand,
what makes me this way, who I am.
Explain the hurt, the misery...
the demons I deal with...the me you don't see.
I want you to understand so you don't cross that invisible line...
the line you stomp on unknowingly, oh so many times.
I want to explain, damit, just for mankind sake...
when you come back from hell, don't think  nothing changed!

Riding in my truck with the windows rolled down,
finally got a chance to get out of town.
Got bills caught up and still have a paycheck,
got two days off before the job wants me back.
Summer sun feeling friendly on my face,
everyones showing off the pounds they've erased.
Girls are getting hotter and guys trying to be cool,
seems like everyones posing at the pools.
Me , I aint in to all that,
feeling comfortable in my pulled out shirt and old straw hat,
no need to **** in my stomach no more,
I'll take a second trip to the buffet table for sure.
In an old folding chair, near the water, where you'll find me,
pretty sure I'll be smiling  with a cup of coke and Jim Beam.
Friendly winds blowing my way,
half way through a two day stay.
Ahhhhh!

She's two hours in a three day no sleep,
tired, hungry, on dangerous streets.
Rubbed raw in places she doesn't bare,
would give half her paycheck for a chance to wash her hair.
   She keeps moving, just like the rest of her patrol,
finding comfort in thinking  that things will get better when she gets back home.
....... She's two hours in a three day no sleep,
tired, hungry, nothing left to eat.
She keeps moving, one more place to check,
trying hard to remember the direction to a place for homeless vets.
  Back in the zone , something went wrong,
she has a hard time remembering, getting along.
Things were suppose to have gotten so much better.....
once she got home.