Mother, as I write, the sun dissolves   Blood life streaming, 'cross my hand   And these words, these words   Hope dashed immortal hope   Hope streaking the canvas sky      Blue poles infinitely winding   As I write, as I write   Blue poles infinitely winding   As I write, as I write      We joined the long caravan   Hungry, dreaming, going west   Just for work, just to get a job   And we never got lucky      We just forged on, and the dust   The endless dust, like a plague   It covered everything   Hal fell, with the fever   And mother I did, what I could      Blue poles infinitely winding   As I write, as I write   Blue poles infinitely winding   As I write, as I write      We prayed, we prayed for rain   I never wanted, to see the sun again   All my dresses, you made by hand   We left behind, on the road,   Hal died, in my arms   We buried him, by the river      Blue poles infinitely winding   As I write, as I write   Blue poles infinitely winding   As I write, as I write, I write