Martin Sexton

Station Man

Martin Sexton


Down around the reservation 
Up around the bend 
Lies a lazy little ghost town 
In a god forsaken land 
Set up on the platform 
Wringing his hands 
Humming a crazy old number 
Its the station man 
He sings about sweet Virginia 
Sweetest in the land 
Said she'd come on back for me 
Just soon as she can 
And the rusty track laughs a cold phrase in the sun 
You see the last train left here 1971 
I can still hear the children on the fourth of July 
Down at the general store there was a gas pump 
And the church bells that ring on Sunday 
Then he turns his head on easterly 
Raises his hand 
Pointing his shaky finger 
As he tries to take a stand 
U.S. highway number one hundred twenty three 
Laid concrete and steel where my house used to be 
I can still hear those children 
Singing in the schoolyard 
Lemonade on the back porch 
As the sun went down 
Rocking chair and my memories 
Sold them for chump change 
Sold them off to folks like you coming around