LONLINESS IN RUBY'S EYES

By David Coe
A friend of Ruby's

THEY SAY SHE CAME ALL THE WAY FROM BOSTON
BUT I SEE MORE THAN NEW ENGLAND IN THE HARD TIMES ON HER FACE
AND EVERY SONG SHE SINGS BRINGS BACK A HUNDRED THOUSAND MEMORIES
OF ANOTHER GIRL, ANOTHER TIME, ANOTHER PLACE

SHE DOES NOT HAVE THE LOOK OF THE WOMAN I ONCE LOVED
BUT SHE'S STILL THE GIRL THAT I ONCE IDOLIZED
AND, I SWEAR, I SEE A LITTLE BIT OF EVERY GIRL I'VE KNOWN
IN THE LONELINESS OF RUBY'S EYES, IN THE LONELINESS OF RUBY'S EYES

KINFOLKS SAY SHE'S HAD A LOT OF HEART ACHES
AND LOVE DON'T LEAVE A WOMAN FILLED WITH SHAME
AND I'VE HEARD TELL SHE HAD A CHILD IN BOSTON
AND ALL THE MEN IN BOSTON KNOW HER NAME