Dan Fogelberg Lyrics
"The Last Nail"

I saw you running ahead of the crowd
I chased but never thought I'd catch you
You said you loved me but you had to be free
And I let you, why did I let you?

We walked together through the gardens and graves
I watched you grow to be a woman
Living on promises that nobody gave to no one
They were given to no one

I started listening to the wind and the rain
You strained your ears but could hear nothing
One night I thought I heard them
Whisper my name and I went running

I left a trail of footprints deep in the snow
I swore one day I would retrace them
But when I turned around I found that the wind
Had erased them now I'll never replace them

Fly away, my sweet bird over the land
Take life for all the freedom you can
But if you ever should need a man
Well, the offer still stands

I hear you've taken on a husband and child
And live somewhere in Pennsylvania
I never thought you'd ever sever the string
But I can't blame you none

So let the ashes fall and lay where they will
Just say that once you used to know me
One last time sing that old song we used to know
But this time sing, this time sing
Oh, this time sing a little more slowly

Fly away, my sweet bird over the land
Take life for all the freedom you can
But if you ever should need a man
Well, the offer still stands