You come in the house for dinner
And you wash your face and hands in a pan
Throw the water out the backdoor
And you throw in on a chicken if you can
Smellin' all the cookin'
And wishin' that the blessin' would end
Oh, I wish that I could smell it
But you can't go back again
Sittin' on the front porch
Listenin' to the katydids sing
The kids are catchin' lightin' bugs
And make little shiny diamond rings
The folks are tryin' to figure
How the Wheelers and Higgins are kin
Wish that I could hear 'em tell it
But you can't go back again
Oh, the kindlin's all cut
And it's stacked there a waitin' to burn
There's a ring on the floor
Where the cream leaked out of the churn
Everybody's talkin' 'bout the news
That's a goin' around
Charlie Finch's daughter got in trouble
And she had to leave town
Mama's washin' dishes
And she's got a pair of britches to mend
Wish that I could watch her do it
But you can't go back again
Oh, the kindlin's all cut and it's stacked
Everybody's talkin' bout the news
Oh, I wish that I could watch her
But you can't go back again