I watch the moonlight hit her window.
It weaves bright diamonds through her hair
But I have taried in these shadows,
in hopes she will not see me here
I don't know what I've been thinking,
I should move on to other business
I've promised I would be strong,
and only watch her in the distance

I know the war claimed her young husband,
and so her life's been mighty rough
And she doesn't need more sorrow,
I have given her enough
So I will try to keep my mind off
my poor aching heart's insistence
She must learn to live without me,
so I'll just watch her in the distance

I recall the fight in Franklin,
a Yankee bullet laid me down
That night, I watched her in the graveyard
where they put me in the ground
That's when I heard the angels calling
and felt the pul of love's resistance
So the Good Lord let me linger
so I could watch her in the distance

If I wrapped cold arms around her,
if I gently spoke her name
She couldn't bare my haunted whisper,
and so there's nothing to be gained
Perhaps my time has come for leaving,
time to lay down all my defenses
and be content with having loved her
even in the distance
For I've been blessed for having loved her
even in the distance.