I grew up in Georgia with my three rosy maple birds
under sweet magnolia
with cotton and a cinnamon fern
okra and collard greens
spoonfuls of black-eyed peas
Polly made em for me...

If only I had known it then
sweetness I might comprehend, like how the

pawpaw makes the chalk maple grow
painted buckeye makes my momma so
‘merican holly makes a Christmas fern
butterfly weed makes sourwood burn
I know, now I know

Texas holds my heart near
the Barbary and horses all out back
under corkscrew willows, I grew
with the sage and skullcaps
nettle tea and senna leaves
I took fistfuls of redbud trees
but there’s no fruit on that blind prickly pear, I found

How could I have known it then
If only I had known it then, how the

rock roses make the trumpet vines grow
ox-eyed daisies make my momma so
mexican mint can make my gold
live oak has a bluebonnet’s hold
I know, now I know…

I found my way around the world,
tulips lead by lonely grape vines
landed here, where west unfurls,
where mountains meet the bands of shore pines
salmon and evergreens, honey and baleens
they tell me, I’m gonna make it someday

If only I had known it then
maybe we could make amends.
but how could I have known it then?
arid beauty was my friend
if only I had known it then,
I might’ve seen you lean and bend like the

fireweed makes the cottonwood grow
bitter cherry makes my momma so
ocean sprays are known to go far
bleeding hearts will the shoot the stars
I know, now I know