A cowpoke rode in
One hot dusty day
To a store down in old San Antone
He stood at the window
And I heard him say
"Do I have a letter from home?"
The postmaster looked
Through the mail that had come
Then smilingly shook his grey head
The cowboke looked sadly
A moment at him
And these are the words
That he said
"No letter from home
No letter from home
There's never a letter from home
No message from mother
And none of the other
There's never a letter from home"
That night he was shot
On the wrong side of town
No more of those plains
Will he roam
I reached for my Bible
And gave it to him
And said, "Son
Here's your letter from home"
"If only I had
Just a little more time
To read it", the young cowpoke said
"I can't take it with me
And I must go on"
Then he died
With his letter unread
The letter from home
The letter from home
No time for the letter from home
The cowboy laid dead
With his letter unread
Too late for the letter from home