Standin’ at Fences

I mend the wire where the south fence broke
My boots in the mud before the world awoke
I keep the gate shut when the cold blows through
I got real good at keepin' people out too

Gran's on the porch with her coffee gone cold
She says, boy, you ain't protectin' nothin but old
You're standin' at fences you built yourself
And leavin' your heart on a dusty shelf

I keep standin' at fences, afraid to cross over
I had love once and it handed me stones
She left and I learned how to carry the cold wind
Now I'm real good at bein' alone
Real good at bein' alone

I fed the cattle in the February freeze
Told myself a workin' man don't need
An open door or a light left burnin' late
Or somebody waitin' past the barn gate

Gran says, son, quit countin' your old mistakes
Every fence post you drive is just another heartache
You keep blamin' yourself like you're the only proof
That love don't last, but boy that ain't the truth

I keep standin' at fences, afraid to cross over
I had love once and it handed me stones
She left and I learned how to carry the cold wind
Now I'm real good at bein' alone
Real good at bein' alone

Gran took my hand said there ain't no shame
In tryin' again when you carry the blame
She said I loved your Grandpa through hard years
Through droughts and fights and more than a few tears
And boy if I'd stopped at the first hurt I took
I'd have missed every single good thing in this life

I keep standin' at fences, afraid to cross over
I had love once and it handed me stones
But Gran's still on the porch and she's right about tryin'
Maybe I don't have to be right about alone
Maybe I don't have to be afraid of you goin'