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