this afternoon I walked out into a ditch

the crawfish stirred the water

the papermill blew in on the Southeastern wind

and it was raining in Port Arthur

I pulled a dead limb from a fallen pine

the sun was dropping on the lower Neches valley

I called the dogs from out of the woods with a hollar

and it was raining in Port Arthur

that night my daddy drove us to maw maw's

He and mama wanted to be alone

I sat up in that mimosa tree with my brother

and it was raining in Port Arthur

the refinerys hum and glow from the road

and I listen to the dove as she mourns

I'm standing in the rice fields of Beaumont

and it was raining in Port Arthur