The red river rose

On a fence line north of estelline the strangest sight I'd ever seen
Was a note tied with a ribbon to a rollin' tumbleweed
Brazos tossed his head and shied the weed got caught upon the wire
I stepped down from my saddle horse and gave that note a read

Lines that were written in a fair woman's hand
Told of her life and the loss of her man
It's her heart and her hopes she has cast in the wind
And it's me that old tumbleweed chose to find red river rose

By the time I built a fire that night I'd memorized every line
Felt the silent teardrops that had fallen on that note
I heard a lonesome coyote cry and it was then I realized
Rose and this old cowboy had been too long alone