by Simone White
Mary Jane got married at seventeen
he was the loveliest man she'd ever seen
till the day, six months after the baby came,
he became a man who inflicts pain
Mary Jane forgot her past and changed her name
she learned to sing the blues
sewed on sequins and high-heeled shoes
she took off her glasses and took the stage
the audience vanished in the haze
she bowed and blew a kiss
Mary Jane was Little Abner's Daisy Mae
a sweet Marlene
the geisha girl and Salome
a cowgirl too
she spun her pistols to the roof
a poor man's Marilyn Monroe
he never came to sit in the front row
he never heard her sing
they live today in a quiet suburb of Tampa Bay
he drives to the bank
takes her out to eat at Burger King
she walks the dog
keeps the radio on in every room
a silver wedding anniversary
the children pray he'll be the first to leave
she gave her life to a man who wanted just a wife
Mary Jane was Little Abner's Daisy Mae
a sweet Marlene
the geisha girl and Salome
a cowgirl too
she spun her pistols to the roof