Virginia

Tori Amos

in the lush virginia hills 
they kept her as long as they could 
cause they knew when the white brother 
found white shell beads 
wrapped around her skin -- 
a life giving river -- 
her body open as will his hand 
and with a "goodbye" there she goes

she may betray all that she loves 
and even wait for their savior to come 
and in some things, maybe he'll be right 
but as always the thing that he loves 
he will change from her sunrise to clockwise to soul trading 
still she'll lay down her body 
covering him all the same

so hundreds of years go by 
(the red road carved up by sharp knife) 
she's a girl out working her trade 
and she loses a little each day 
to ghetto pimps and presidents 
who try and arouse her turquoise serpents 
she can't recall what they represent 
and when you ask, she won't know

she will betray

oh virginia 
do you remember 
when the land held your hand 
oh virginia 
she will let you back in 
oh virginia 
you can't remember your name