The kettle burned because I left it too long When we were kissing with the radio on The cat was choking on a rattlesnake bone The town had gathered around the soldier boy Carried home The sick kids ate a bowl of red clay The late judge teetered in a jon boat The town had gathered around the soldier boy Carried home The broken window and the pretty blue sky And cold water for my swollen black eye We shook some money from your mother's old clothes When all had gathered around the soldier boy Carried home