Shepherd Letra

Before the coming storm begins
Go, she said, and beat the storm
And then there is another chore
Today the baby will be born
You'll take me to the hospital
Said the shepherd, if it's true
T'were better if I stayed with you
I'd rather let the harvest go
And hasten to the hospital
Nay, she told him, I'll be fine
We both have laborin' to do
You do yours and I'll do mine
And the babe will wait 'til the work is through

The shepherd roped the yellow rows
The sky above and the field below
Until the bales had all been tied
And homeward turned to find his wife
Sweat was wet upon her brow
Her breath it cameth laboredly
And then the rain was comin' down
Upon the field of yellow hay
Said the shepherd, it's no use
The rain will surely win the race
T'were better if we let it fall
And hurry to the hospital
Go, she said, and work with haste
And bring the bales into the barn
Else the crop will go to waste
And the babe will wait 'til the work is done

The shepherd drove into the storm
And to and from the yellow barn
'Til half the bales were safely in
Then went to find his wife again
How many times her name he called
And no replyin' would she make
Her breath it cameth not at all
She would not rise from where she lay

The storm was o'er within the hour
The shepherd saw the sun come out
The shepherd's wife saw ne'er again
He buried her and the babe within
He turned the seed into the ground
He brought the flock to feed thereon
He held the cleaver and the plow
And the shepherd's work was never done