The Pomegranate County Irregulars - A Hard Land Lyrics

A hard land under clear sharp skies
A blue so deep and a red so bright
A dusty wind blows hot indifference
On Kansas Joe with mischief in sight

Joe Johnson looks across the desert
Turns around and heads back to town
A crackling mind that likes to vex
Sad Horace perfect to bring down

Horace Jones dissipated this morning
He whored and drank the day before
A heavy pain now fills his heart
Miss Louise said that's it no more

Louise Jane puts the pen away
Blots the letter she wants to send
Wrote too much, didn't say it all
Clerk Billy takes her prayer to mend

Two Bit Bill bites the hard-earned coin
Saw no despair in her lowered eye
Sacks up the letter for an outbound train
Addressed to New Orleans and Miss Lorelei

Lorelei never got the final letter
Train robbers let it blow across the sand
Passing and wary she often denied
All those who left for a hard land

A hard land and sheltering sky
Nothing but horizon everywhere
Ash to ashes it's dust to dust
A hard land returns your stare