cactus in a coffee can

she had the window and i had the aisle

she looked twenty-five but she was shakin' like a child

when we took off

i looked over and clutched in her hands

was this cactus in a coffee can

she was holdin' that thing like it was all that she had

she smiled at me but i could tell she was sad

somewhere over denver i asked her her name

she said

elena

then told me she came

from santa fe

she ordered a drink and a wall came down

she started talkin' and the pain poured out

she told me a story i'll never forget

she had me in tears when she looked at me and said

my mama's first love was crack

she made her livin' lyin' on her back

she gave me away on the day that i was born

she said

i spent the last ten years trackin' her down

y'know it just don't seem fair that when i finally found

her she was almost gone

we had two weeks together to laugh and to cry

two weeks to say hello and goodbye

she gave me this cactus

said it's kinda like me

it'll hurt you to hold it but it blooms every spring

she said

i'm on my way back to new mexico

was gonna scatter her ashes where the desert winds blow

but i came up with a better plan

i'm gonna keep 'em in the bottom of this coffee can

my mama was a tortured soul

but i still love her even though

she gave me away on the day that i was born

the plane touched down and we both got off

i took her hand and said sorry for your loss

she said thanks for listening

for being here

i've been wantin' to talk about her for so many years

now

i'll probably never see elena again

we met as strangers and parted as friends

as we waved goodbye i was sure of one thing

there'll be a flower on that cactus come next spring