Dandelion Wine's album "Cheap Hooch" (belated correction: "Circles In The Grain") includes a song entitled "Queen of the May." Sung, and I think written, by Jon Speelman (correction: written by Paul Hann), it's an elegantly bitter little number in which a man visits his sister who has, shall we say, let the family down to a degree, and at the end he effectively disowns her. It's a *very* good song.

It needed an answer, I felt. And so I wrote one. Again, can't remember if I've posted it here before.

THE QUEEN REPLIES

(words byZan, tune "Queen Of The May")

Dear brother, hello; it's a comfort to know
My family remembers my name
It's many a day since I ran away
So I guess that you've mastered the shame
I know that I'm pale, and my eyes tell a tale
Of a hunger that claws at the soul:
I always look aged until it's assuaged
Addiction must take its toll...

CHORUS
I've come a long way, baby,
Since I was Queen of the May.

But enough about me, it's old history,
Come tell to me all of your news.
Who's alive and who's dead, are you planning to wed,
I'll be grateful for all I can use.
I've missed you all so, I don't want you to go
Though I see that the hour's growing late:
As the sun starts to sink, let's go for a drink
And I'll bring you right up to date...

CHORUS

(instrumental)

Well, I see you're awake, with a thirst you can't slake,
Though we'll take care of that in a while.
A girl has to live, and I could not forgive
What you all did to me as a child.
You've a lot still to learn, before you return
To the bosom of our family
For it's no more than fair that they should all share
In the gift that you'll bring them from me.

CHORUS (twice)