Two Gallants - Fail Hard to Regain

Well once I knew a railway girl
Her age was 17
I gave her all I had to give,
But the baggage of my dreams
Stole me from the games we played
Scorned me for my mask
And if she's gone she lingers on
I beg you please don't ask

Twas on a dark March evening
South-bound I did ride
My head was out the window when
I found her at my side
Asked where I was goin' to
I told but where I came
For the jails in which I've done my time
I fail hard to regain

Dark girl, dark girl it kills me so
To watch you so afraid
You know that you've been real to those
And realness should be paid
Her eyes gone wide, alive she cried
Does pleasure ever last?
We live to see, but patiently
I beg you please don't ask

She took me in despite my sins
Fed me tea and such
And as she fell just like a child
I crumbled 'neath her touch
I held my breath and appeared to weep
At the fragments of my brain
See each day's but a moment lad
I fail hard to regain

But as it goes the fiddler throws
Our values to the street
Whole world pain and sayings as gay as
Impatience in his field
And captives of this Wall Street trade
We curse our mortal tasks
Forgive us though we all must go
And where to please don't ask

And now I am a misspent man
Who knows not where he's been
And oh so sapped with sufferin'
The worst is yet unseen
Renounce myself for further wealth
I take each breath in vain
Still haunted by that railway girl
I fail hard to regain