The Truth Comes Out

the truth comes out as the fire burns low

it comes to light as only embers glow

the whiskey talks, the west wind moans in the night


The deadfall's gathered and the branches are cut

kindling crackles and the smoke curls up

the small sticks catch then the bigger stuff will burn


Chinook dies down as the dark descends

pine has burned, the ash has cleansed

the message smolders, is lost, but finally sent


Connie says she's never seen the cougars so bold

they're comin in the yard and they're stealin young colts

they drag em in the brush with the claws sunk in their nose


The weather's been funny thirty years or so

the winters got warm, not as much snow

hear the big cats comin 'cause there's nowhere left to go


You gotta look out for bear when you?re fishing on lee?s creek

they?ll come round the bend and they?ll make your knees weak

there?s grizzlies where there was no grizzly bears before


Half heard voices from the ghosts, from the graves

the grandfathers tell us at the mouths of the caves

only old chiefs older than jesus can save us now, if we're lucky


White man light a big fire, stay cold

the red man's warmer, but the old man's old

the antelope seeks the buffalo in the night


The antelope mourns the buffalo in the night