"Oh Willy Dear you've got a mind to leave me once again.
I see your ship upon the shore and freight all loaded in'
"Oh Lizzy dear you know that I must ship out with the crew.
And though the river carries me my heart remains with you"
Willy's ship departed from the docks early next day
Elizabeth looked on as he floated far away
From the house upon the hill she'd wait and watch the rver bend
For the ship to bring her own true love safely home again
He toiled aboard the boat for months with hands so rough and raw
She waited for a letter as the sun did rise and fall
Until one day she saw the smoke and heard the hissing steam
The weary ship returning from the haul to New Orleans
Just then a loud explosion broke and trembled hills around
Her eyes so wide in horror as the tears came pouring down
From bow to stern the ship did bum, she heard the sailor's cry
The flame and fire of rapture lighting up the midnight sky
Then with a trembling hand upon the pen she wrote for he
"The world can show no beauty if with you I cannot be
Oh loneliness, I can't endure to drown in sorrows tide
I go to meet my Willy dear upon the other side"
Next day a ship come rolling in and anchored in the wake
Aboard was Willy Thompson on arrival one day late
As fast as he could travel, and through the door he broke
And up the stairs he found his darling hanging from a rope
Now time did pass for Willy as he walked this world alone
But time stood still upon the hill where sat poor Lizzie's home
And now so still and quiet there stands the open door
The dust upon the window pane and shadows on the floor
It's eighteen stairs will bring her up to the widow's walk
And five windows for to view the rusted steam ship docks
Is Lizzy standing by the chair or is she in the hall
Or is she in the corner with her pale face to the wall
Oh that girl, that pretty little girl, the girl I left behind me. .