Seven Mile Bridge

<br>By David Allan Coe<br><br>Dedicated to the wife`s of sailors everywhere and to the grandfather who never got to hear my stories and songs.<br><br>YOU KNOW, AS A CHILD, HE HEARD TELL OF THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE<br><br>THAT CONNECTED ON MARATHON SHORE<br><br>YES, AND IT WAS THE GATEWAY KEY WEST HIS GRANDPA<br><br>HAD TOLD HIM TEN TIMES OR MORE.<br><br>THE STORIES OF SOME SAILORS CURSE ON THE BRIDGE<br><br>WHERE IT OPENS TO LET THE BOATS THROUGH<br><br>BUT THE NATIVES ALL LAUGH AT GRANDPAS OLD STORIES<br><br>AND SWEAR THAT IT JUST ISN`T TRUE<br><br> <br><br>NOW MOST OF THEM SAIL ACROSS TO MIAMI<br><br>FROM THE EDGE OF THE BLUE WATER LINE<br><br>WITH CRAWFISH AND SNAPPERS TO SELL AT THE MARKET<br><br>FOR MONEY TO SPEND ON SOME WINE<br><br>THEY ALWAYS CROSS THROUGH AT THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE<br><br>EXCEPT WHEN THE MOON COMES OUT FULL<br><br>THEY`RE NOT SUPERSTITIOUS THEY TELL YOU AS THEY ARE<br><br>REPEATING THAT OLD SEAMAN`S RULE<br><br> <br><br>WATCH OUT FOR THOSE OUTLAWS AND PIRATES<br><br>LORD KNOWS THAT THEY`LL STEAL YOU BLIND<br><br>DON`T MESS AROUND WITH THOSE CUTTHROATS AND THIEVES<br><br>THEY`RE ROBBERS AND KILLERS OF TIME<br><br>AND THERE`S NOTHING WORSE THAN AN OLD SAILORS CURSE<br><br>ON THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE WHERE YOU FIND<br><br>THEY`RE STEALING THE FUTURE AND MAKING BELIEVE <br><br>THE PAST IS STILL SOMEWHERE BEHIND<br><br>THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE , THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE<br><br> <br><br>AND HE FOUND A WOMAN WHO`D COME HERE FROM CUBA<br><br>SHE GAVE HIM A SON AND A DREAM<br><br>THEY LIVED IN A CONCH HOUSE SOMEWHERE ON STOCK ISLAND<br><br>WITH THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE IN BETWEEN<br><br>SHED SPENT HER NIGHTS ON THE WINDOW WALK WONDERING<br><br>IF HE`D SAFELY PULL THROUGH THE STORM<br><br>WHILE HE SPENT HIS MONEY ON PAINTED UP WOMEN<br><br>AND WHISKY TO KEEP HI BLOOD WARM<br><br>THEN HE`D GAMBLE ON CRAB RACES TILL HE WAS BROKE<br><br>WHILE SHE SAT UP WAITING ALL NIGHT<br><br>THEN FELLING TOO GUILTY TO FACE HER AND TELL HER <br><br>HE`D LOOK FOR SOME BULLY TO FIGHT<br><br> <br><br>AT THE END OF THE RAINBOW WHERE THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES<br><br>JUST SOUTH OF THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE <br><br>SHE WAITS AT THE WINDOW FOR SIGNS OF HIS SAILBOAT<br><br>AND TRIES NOT TO WORRIED THE KIDS<br><br>SHE SNEAKS A FEW DRINKS FROM THE BOTTLE SHE HIDES<br><br>FROM A HUSBAND THAT`S TO TIRED TO THINK<br><br>WITH FEELINGS OF GUILT SHE PICKS UP THE BOTTLE <br><br>AND POURS THE REMAINS IN THE SINK<br><br>NOW SHE THINKS OF THE MEN THAT STARE AT HER BOLDLY<br><br>THEY KNOW SHE`S A WOMAN ALONE<br><br>WITH FINGERS THAT TREMBLE SHE TOUCHES HER BODY<br><br>AND WISHES HER MAN WOULD COME HOME<br><br> <br><br>NOW THE YEARS PASS SO QUICKLY FOR TIME IS A THIEF<br><br>HIS SKIN LOOKS LIKE LEATHER BY NOW<br><br>HIS WOMAN`S GOT FAT AND LOST ALL HER BEAUTY<br><br>BUT, LORD, SHE`S LIVED UP TO HER VOW<br><br>SHE LOOKS AT HER SON THAT`S GOING ON TWENTY<br><br>HE`S READY TO LIVE HIS OWN LIFE<br><br>SHE HOPES HE CAN FIND A SEA WORTHY WOMAN<br><br>A SAILOR SURE NEEDS A GOOD WIFE<br><br>WHY HE`S JUST LIKE HIS DADDY, SHE THINKS AS SHE WATCHES<br><br>HIM WEAVING THOSE FISH NETS ALL DAY<br><br>KNOWING THAT SOME TIME THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE<br><br>WILL TAKE HIM AND LEAD HIM ASTRAY<br><br>HE MIGHT RETURN HIS WOMAN WOULD LEARN<br><br>BROKE LIKE HIS DADDY AND DRUNK<br><br>SHE WROTE DOWN SOME WORDS ON AN OLD PIECE OF SAIL CLOTH<br><br>NAILED IT OVER HIS BUNK<br><br>WHY THEN, SHE PACKED HIS SEA BAG AND FILLED UP HIS TRUNK<br><br>HIS NEW WIFE WOULD WANT IT THAT WAY<br><br>JUST BEFORE THE OLD MAN SHOOK THE YOUNGER LADS HAND<br><br>THESE ARE THE WORDS HE DID SAY