once upon a time or two there lived a family
the mama and the daddy and their little girl Prairie
Prairie was a happy child, her smile big as the sea
and her eyes shone like two bright blue stars hung in the galaxy

Prairie was a girl in love like flowers with the bees
with the wind, and how he blew right through and swayed the canopy
she’d breathe him in and hold him in her chest until she’d wheeze
and just as soon as he was there he vanished easily

her eyes looked like two big gray stones, she shook alike the leaves
she felt him all around her but his face she could not see
she cried she cried “I love you so” into the empty breeze
and the only thing the wind brought back was dust to make her sneeze

a broken heart, her body was too weak to move, so she
around her wrists tied red balloons, lifted her off her feet
she watched the landscape fade away, the clouds they kissed her cheeks
and her tears they fell like raindrops down onto the empty street

she laughed and smiled although she cried so hard she could not speak
the wind stirred up and blew right through her like the canopy
she closed her eyes, apologized, her lungs refused to breathe
and the wind grew cold when he couldn’t hold her like she would with he

her mom and dad searched day and night looking for their sweet pea
but the wind had pushed her far away, like secrets kept too deep
they found her body safe and warm nestled between the trees
the animals had gathered ‘round, she smiled in endless sleep

once upon a time or two we all fall to our knees
but time has gone and will go on even so when we weep
but do not hold your heart of gold as black beneath the sheets
for the world is full of love for you my dear, if you believe