written while at Ocracoke Island, NC; Tom stating "You know that the oleander plant is poisonous, don't you?

Lyrics

Oleander by Mary Rocapp

Don’t ya hear the lonesome call of the mourning dove
That’s a common sound I don’t think much of
Heard it all my life, more’s the shame
I’d rather hear the warble of the whippoorwill
If I hadn’t run away I would be there still
Pleased to meet ya, Oleander is my name

Well that’s a pretty name for a pretty face
And I’ll bet a little loving would soon erase
All the worries and troubles that are on your mind
Maybe it won’t and maybe it will
But I’ll tell you Mister my looks can kill
It would come out better for you if your love was blind

Cause Oleander could be your doom
Oleander a rosy bloom
Oleander smells so sweet
Makes a heart forget to beat

I was raised up hard and I was raised up mean
I was the prettiest baby Momma’d ever seen
But a girl that was pretty and poor filled her with dread
Now Momma believed that words had power
So she named me for a poison flower
I done for you what I could was what she said

Now I could love you till the day you die
But if I was you I’d just walk on by
Go on now – forget you ever came
It won’t get better it’ll only get worse
Cause I live in the shadow of my Momma’s curse
Go on now – I wont’ tell you again

that Oleander . . .